STIGMA 2: Memory
by Isis976
Summary: Alex McCann is back! This time not only is she dealing with gruesome murders, vampires and a potential war with the underworld but also her own emotions, heartbreaks and finally the secrets behind her past.
1. B is for brutal, M is for murder

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 1: B is for Brutal, M is for Murder**

It was cold; freezing cold. The windows had frost on them, the fireplace was all but dead in the small apartment in this small town just west of Alberta Canada. I pulled my red winter coat tighter around me for warmth. The coat was not only protecting me from the chill but also hiding my black STIGMA jacket.

I stood in this place staring, just staring at one thing; a tiny blood stain. It was almost impossible to see but it was there next to the light switch on the stark white walls of this god forsaken place.

"Do you ever pay attention, Alex?" The voice of Melissa Cuthers, fellow STIGMA paranormal investigator seemed to laugh at me through the earpiece of my headset.

"Only when you're not talking, Mel." I replied. "Were you saying something?"

"Not really. Just asking if you had found anything different than from me or Charlie."

"You mean other than one tiny blood speck from what appeared to be a grisly murder of ten different women? No. Nothing. The cops haven't cleaned anything yet so why is there no blood, no gore or anything that suggest that the women were murdered?"

"It's the same over here." Dita Wetherington cut in. "One tiny blood speck. The only reason we've been able to see it is because it's giving off mass readings of dark energy."

"Cheer up ladies," I could practically tell that Arkan Yousif was grinning. "It just means we get the fun of solving this while the local cops run around for weeks before they call it unsolved."

"Good work everyone." I interrupted. "Everyone please proceed to their next investigation point and report what you find. Once we're done we'll meet in the town centre. I'll advise Carmen only to have one cleaner squad report here.

Two days ago, Carmen's techies had picked up a 911 call reporting ten murders in this town in one night. They were all women of various ages. The bodies were all found in their homes all gruesomely mutilated. Yet no blood was on the floors where their bodies lay and there was nothing else to suggest violence had occurred in those places; just one tiny speck of blood that surrounded by darkness.

Something was wrong here but none of us could figure out what. There would have to be further investigation done. The area would be scanned for any supernatural significance and that would be about it. All the town's people had apparently fled from fear of a curse. We would have to break into the morgue to get the coroner's reports and examine the bodies. If the cops hadn't gotten there first we would have been able to do more a more thorough investigation. But we didn't always get lucky when it came to murder investigations. It was just the way things were.

I decided to head over to the next site when my cell phone rang. I rerouted the audio to my headset and answered.

"McCann here."

"Alex, we're headed your way." Jason's voice was crackling. The reception in this place was absolutely piss poor.

"Jason, perfect timing, I was just about to call you." I replied. "By the way tell your guys plain clothes only. There's no one left here but just in case someone shows up I'd prefer to avoid any unnecessary questions."

"You got it. By the way your brother's been sent back to headquarters. He just got promoted to squad leader for crew number thirty."

"What? When did this happen?"

"This morning. They just finalised hiring the final members. They could use someone of your brother's calibre."

"Well tell him congrats for me. So who's leading you losers?"

The signal started breaking up. Pretty soon it was all static. I sighed and hung up. There was no point in wasting precious battery time.

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The next site was the same. I quickly took a video scan on the site and headed to the centre of town which was marked by a large grey well in the middle. Dita and Charlie were already waiting for me.

"Are you the first ones here?" I asked. Dita nodded, her long caramel coloured hair making swishing noises against her parka.

"All of our sites are the same. I don't get it. How could something like this happen and barely leave a trace."

"It could be the work of Mannite demons," Charlie offered. "They have the ability to freeze time around their victims."

Charles 'Charlie' King was of African American descent. He stood about 6'4, had chocolate coloured eyes and had shaved his head. He was one of the best marksmen we had. We had recruited him from the US Marines. Dita was our trainee agent and was petite and didn't stand higher than 5'4 but she was quick with magic and not bad at combat either. However her origins were a complete mystery to me.

"Yeah but what would they have done with the blood?" I pondered aloud. "Mannite demons are vegans. They hate human blood. This whole thing doesn't make much sense.

He shrugged. "Beats me. Do we have any information on this town yet?"

I shook my head. "The geeks are digging up a report for us but it could take some time."

"Hey don't start the party without us!" A very Irish accent yelled.

I grinned. Arkan was laughing as Melissa ran over to us. She was about my height and had short red hair. Arkan was of Egyptian descent. His black curls were cropped closely to his forehead against his brown skin.

Both were assault specialists but while Melissa was Irish and formerly with the IRA, Arkan had been abandoned by his own people and left to join the Israeli army. He had never told me the circumstances of his exile but Melissa would most likely know. It was well known but never spoken that they were a couple.

"Anything different?" I questioned.

"Nada, nothing." Arkan answered. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I wish I knew." I replied. "Cleaning squad eight is on their way so we won't be here too much longer."

"Thank god." Dita complained. "Any longer and I'll turn into a popsicle."

Our conversation was interrupted by a slight screeching sound from the well. . All at once everyone drew their weapons and pointed them in the direction of the well. Me with Diabolique, Charlie with a double pump action shot gun, Melissa with a Beretta 92Fs, Arkan with a scoped MP5 submachine gun and Dita lastly with her pure silver staff. I shook my head and handed her my backup gun, the desert eagle; fully loaded with a spare clip.

"I taught you how to use this, Dita. Make me proud."

The screeching grew louder. I motioned for everyone to back away.

"Nice and slowly people." I whispered. Charlie put an arm up in front of Dita, his protective nature kicking in. She was far too impetuous to be left alone in a fight just yet. I looked over to him. Charlie glanced at her and nodded at me as if to tell me he would look after her.

This was not an ideal situation for a trainee but there was nothing I could do about that. We couldn't pick and choose the danger level as we liked it. She would just have to adapt as best she could. On the flip side, however, a trial by fire now would probably be best now than having to deal with more perilous situations later. I just hoped that she wouldn't get herself killed.

All five of us were holding our breath, or at least I was. Charlie was completely still, focused, ready; the consummate professional. Dita looked mildly uncomfortable. Arkan and Melissa side by side were unshakable.

"It's getting closer." Arkan said quietly. The look on his face was calm yet his eyes darted over to Melissa. They expressed love and concern and one simple thought; I will never let anything happen to you.

The silence was broken by a raven flying out of the well. All five of us exhaled quietly and laughed.

"You idiots." Melissa said while laughing.

"Just a bird." Arkan laughed. "You guys really-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. A dark shadow erupted from the well and knocked us all backwards.

"BATS!" Dita screamed. I looked up. She was right. There about at least fifty bats above us. I raised Diabolique and fired. A bat started smouldering and hissing. It then exploded in a pile of green goo.

"Correction, Dita. Vampire bats. Everyone switch to either holy or silver shot! Their bite isn't potent enough to change you but they can do some serious damage!"

Charlie dropped his shot gun and pulled out duel Mac 11s and began unloading bullets. Melissa and Arkan switched their magazines. I noticed Dita panicking and remembered I hadn't taken a clip with silver or holy shot. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"This gun has been enhanced to cope with magic being used on it. I want you to remove the clip and infuse the bullets with a fire spell."

She nodded and began casting the spell.

"Charlie, can you give us some cover?" I yelled. I pulled out my katana and used it in combo with Diabolique. Bats were dropping around but there still half of them left.

"Okay ready." She packed the clip in it.

"Okay take it steady. I've never used it in this capacity before."

Bang, bang, bang. Her accuracy was perfect. Three bats exploded and fell to the ground."

I could not have been prouder. "Good girl. Keep firing." I swung my sword and cut one in half that was flying towards us.

"Alex, Dita get out of the way!" Charlie shouted. I pushed her aside and jumped as the remaining ten flew towards us. Seven of were taken down in a barrage of bullets. Arkan fired the MP5 and killed the remaining three.

"You guys alright?" Charlie's voice echoed over me. I grimaced looking at the mud on my coat.

"Yeah we're fine. Just dirty." I jumped to my feet and offered Dita my hand. She gratefully accepted and handed me my gun back.

"Nice work today Dita. Your shooting skills have come a long way since you started. I'll order you a gun when we get back to headquarters."

She made a face. I rolled my eyes. "You need one. I don't care if you never use it but I want you to have one. It's better to take it with you and never have to fall back on it than to not have it and need it."

"Can I get it enhanced like this one?"

Seeing the grin on her face made me smile. "Of course. Once we get it in I'll get the coven to work their magic on it."

"Vampire bats…" Arkan trailed off. "Are they indigenous to this part of Canada?"

"They're not indigenous to anywhere except the underworld." Charlie muttered. His eyes grew wide. "But that would mean-"

"ALEX, DITA LOOK OUT!" But Melissa's warning came too late. All I could see was a set of fangs flying towards me. I pushed shoved Dita out of the way. Even as I raised Diabolique, I knew it was too late. It was about to rip my throat out.

But instead of bloody death and pain all I heard was the sound of an arrow flying past my head. I turned to look. A pale woman was lying on the ground with a crossbow bolt lying in its heart. She started to smoulder and burn. The body erupted in flames and quickly burned to ashes.

"Holy shit." I breathed. "Which one of you had a crossbow and didn't share with me?"

I turned to face my agents. The cleaner's truck was parked just near the well. A man I had never seen before was standing next to it with a crossbow in his hand.

His mocha coloured hair was tied back but bits of it hung around his sharp angular unshaven tanned face. Well defined arms seemed to make his brown leather jacket bulge. A smirk was aimed directly at me.

"Yeah that would be me."

**Author's note: Well here we are at the end of the first chapter of Memory. I'll try to have the next chapter up soon but I am going on holidays in a few days time so it might be a while.**

**Reviews and comments are appreciated.**

**Next chapter: A Place Beyond the Sun.**


	2. A Place Beyond the Sun

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 2: A Place Beyond the Sun**

His name was Logan Di Massey and he was the new leader of squad eight.

"So how long have you been at STIGMA?" I asked him as the other cleaners were running around getting their work done. We were in the van, analysing our data and getting to know each other.

"Just over four years now." He replied while pushing back bits of hair off his face. "I got promoted two days ago and was told to head down here to take over the squad while Adrian was sent back."

I shook my head. "Four years? How have I never met you?"

Logan laughed while watching the video footage of the town. "You'd be surprised at how many people actually work for STIGMA. You probably won't ever know all of them. But everyone in my department has heard of the famous McCann twins especially the one twin who happened to execute a traitor in our midst."

"Ah so I have a reputation now. How wonderful." I deadpanned.

"It's a good story to scare any recruits with."

I laughed quietly. "You were pretty quick with that crossbow out there. You didn't happen to specialise in vampire slaying did you?"

He flashed me a grin. "As a matter of fact I did."

"It's a hard field. There are a lot of cleaners who chose it who don't survive past graduating to full time work."

His face darkened and he looked away. I realised I had probably brought up some painful memories of losing classmates who he had trained with.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No it's okay. We should probably get back to looking at this footage."

"You're right." I turned my gaze back to my screen. "Not that it's giving us much anyway. That vampire that attacked me seemed like the only real clue here. I wonder where it came from."

"There haven't been any vampire reports in this area recently." Logan paused. His eye grew wide. "Has anyone been to the morgue yet?"

"That was where we were supposed to go once you arrived." I felt my heart speed up. "Are any of your guys down there yet?"

"No they're all still at the murder scenes. I was about to send Luke and Eric down there."

"Dita, Arkan; I want you to head to the morgue. You will join cleaners Luke and Eric and coordinate a joint investigation. If there's anything that isn't human in there, eliminate it and set the place ablaze."

"Yes ma'am."

I shut the radio off. "Once they're done I'll order in our chopper to take my team back home. I suggest you do the same. There's not much more to see in this hell hole."

"Trust me. We'll be right behind you." Logan yawned. "So what are you doing after this job is over?"

I shrugged. "Mission debrief, followed by next orders if any, hot shower then off home for some sleep."

"Any chance I could buy you a coffee in between all that?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Well I have an hour in between landing at HQ and debrief. I suppose I could fit you in."

"So then…" He drummed his fingers on the keyboard. "Your crappy cafeteria or mine?"

My pending reply was interrupted by an explosion. I ran outside. The morgue, which was at the end of the town was now on fire.

"Dita, Arkan…do you mind explaining what happened?"

"Out of the ten women who had been murdered there were only nine bodies. All nine corpses in there were vampires." Arkan was breathing heavily and sounded like he had been fighting. "They were trapped inside when Dita set the place on fire. One of them managed to get out. Luke and Eric took it down but Luke was bitten."

"Jesus." I breathed.

"I've shot him with silver shot a few times in his arms and legs. It should slow down any transformations to give us enough time to pump him with anti venom."

"Roger that, Arkan. I'll grab an anti venom shot and meet you. Radio the choppers to pick us up." I looked up to see that Logan was reaching into a cupboard above us for supplies.

"Anti venom shots and tranquilisers." His gaze was filled with concern. "Let's go."

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When Logan and I got to our team members, what I saw made me draw sharp breaths. Luke was being carried by Arkan and Eric. His arms and legs were bandaged to stop any bleeding but his face was pale from being bitten.

"Okay guys, put him down." Logan ordered. Luke was placed gently down on the snow covered ground, whimpering from pain. He was barely conscious. Logan unwrapped a syringe.

"Hold him still."

I knelt down by Luke and held an arm down, careful not to touch any bullet wounds. Although brutal and excruciating, shooting him was the only way to have saved him.

His white blonde hair was messy and falling about his deathly white face. He was becoming paler by the second. I watched as Logan injected the anti venom into his neck. He started writhing about until he was given a tranquiliser to offset the violent reactions of the anti venom.

"Choppers are incoming." Eric said. "ETA two minutes. They'll be landing at outside the town entrance."

"Okay lets go."

"Cleaners, we're leaving." Logan started transmitting his orders. "Grab everything that's important and get out of here. We have a possible rogue vampire in the vicinity. The van will be retrieved by our third chopper. You are all to report to the town entrance for extraction."

"Charlie, Melissa; did you catch all that?"

"Got it." Charlie's voice cracked through my headset. "Mel's with me. We'll be there shortly.

We headed out as quickly as possible while carrying Luke who seemed to okay for now but we needed to get him to our doctors asap. Thankfully the town was small and we made it out of there in record time and onto the chopper.

I watched as Luke was strapped to a gurney by Logan. Slowly a few other cleaners and my agents entered. Once the chopper was full Logan closed the doors to let the pilots know it was time to take off.

"It's a four hour trip guys." Logan yelled above the noise. "Take some time to get some rest."

I closed my eyes. Sleep was something that didn't come easily to me anymore and every time I did manage to enter the land of nod my dreams were strange. I kept seeing people I had never met, recognising voices that I never heard and most importantly there was one little girl I kept seeing.

Lariska. Her name was Lariska.

I didn't know who she was but she kept showing up. I had seen her parents, her brother, her home and two little boys that I know knew as adults; the Sparda twins Vergil and Dante.

Somehow through my link to Vergil I had possibly absorbed some of his memories. That prospect was not what I viewed to be pleasant considering our somewhat strained relationship. To say that we didn't really get along would be an understatement. I barely knew how to talk to the man most of the time. He was cold to the point of blanking people who he didn't consider worth talking to. I would avoid talking to him unless it was necessary. And occasionally it was necessary as he worked in our library with our analysts, researchers and techies to provide us with the information we needed for our assignments.

And yet for reasons I couldn't comprehend I loved him. I loved every moment of those icy information sessions. God I was such a masochist. I doubted he would ever give me the time of day. He would only ever look at me with those cold blue eyes with nothing but contempt for my humanity. It would always hurt but that was the way life seemed to be for now.

_I blinked. I was no longer in the helicopter but in a warm house. A man with long silver hair relaxed in a red wine coloured leather arm chair. The girl named Lariska lay asleep on his lap._

"_What are you going to tell her and Lawrence?" A blonde woman entered the room with a mug full of Jasmine tea in her hands. She sat on the armchair opposite the man. He shrugged._

"_I'm not sure yet. We may have to purge their minds of the incident. But it may not be enough to protect them."_

"Alex, wake up."

I opened my eyes to see Dita standing over me. She gasped.

"What?" My voice held more than just a touch of irritation.

"Your eyes just flashed dark blue."

I pushed her away. "Never mind that Agent Wetherington. What's our status?

"We're just about to land."

I took a look out the window. Sure enough STIGMA HQ in all its glory was coming up fast. The chopper would land on the pads near the back of the mansion.

As we landed I was the first out the doors, eager to smell the sweet breeze coming from the various flowers and plants that surrounded STIGMA. I felt like I was safe again but a more prominent feeling arose within me.

"I'm home."

**Author's note: Not much to say here except for a slight change in chapter title which has also been accounted for in the A/N at the end of chapter 1 as I planned different content for this chapter but as usual please R&R.**

**Next chapter: Frozen.**


	3. Frozen

**STIGMA 2: MEMORY**

**Chapter 3: Frozen**

"Okay guys. Debrief will be at 5.30 pm." My team of agents surrounded me on the landing pad. "Go relax for a bit and we'll meet in the library. Dismissed."

As they walked away Logan approached me.

"So coffee?"

I smiled at him. "I'd love to. Let's try your crappy cafeteria. I'd love to know if they burn the coffee there as badly as they do in mine."

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The coffee was just as bad but at the least the conversation was good.

"Have you ever been bitten by one?" I asked him.

Logan nodded. "Twice. Both times I've saved myself by pointing my crossbow in a direction most people would consider stupid and pulling the trigger."

I laughed. "Nice one. Who says self harm isn't helpful?"

He smiled. He had a wonderful dazzling smile that made me melt. "I heard you shot yourself to beat Yvanna."

"That I did. Who knew lead was so useful?"

He pushed his coffee cup away. "So do you have a date for the Yule ball?"

The mention of the Yule ball almost made me groan. It was an annual formal dinner in which we were all supposed to dress up and 'have fun'. I had managed to avoid going for the last few years. The thought of putting on a ball gown, a crap load of makeup and high heels was not my idea of good time. However I had no reason to avoid going this year.

"Ah no I don't."

"Well would you consider going as my date?"

Before I could stop myself my answer was out of my mouth. "Okay."

He seemed stunned that I had said yes. "Wow. That was easy. So can I walk you to your briefing?"

Before I knew it we were outside the library.

"I'll pick you up on Friday at 7." He took my hand and kissed it. I blushed as he walked away. I then indulged quietly giggling like a school girl. It had been a while since any man had been brave enough to hit on me. Once I had killed Yvanna a lot of people, mainly men, steered clear of me. But something told me that this one might be different. After all, how many 'brave men' could say that they specialised in vampire hunting?

As I turned to enter the large intricately carved almost black wooden doors of the library I gasped as I almost ran smack dab into the pale white angelic face of Vergil Sparda.

Those ice blue eyes might as well have been hot coals from the way they burned into me. Every gaze shot painful spikes deeper and deeper into my soul. And that face…that face almost never shifted from its scornful expression. That wonderful terrifying face was always able to hide what he was truly thinking; always leaving me blinded.

"Good evening, Alex." Then he simply walked off into the hallway.

"Good evening, Vergil." I whispered, watching him walk away. I shook my head, pulling myself out of my angst/love induced coma state. God I was so pathetic. I pushed the doors open and entered the library. The library was dark, ornate and was inspired by Gothic style architecture. Gray Gargoyles sat upon pillars around the book shelves. It was beautiful yet cold and creepy. No wonder Vergil liked it in here.

"Alex, over here." Melissa called. My team were sitting on large red armchairs near the fireplace at the end of the ground floor. A figure cloaked in white stood facing the fireplace.

"Mr Giovanni." I bowed. "What brings you to our briefing?"

"The ground report from Agent King worries me. Vampires are quite troublesome." He paused. "I wonder if it was a rogue or if the council have violated our treaty?"

"Our treaty?" Dita questioned.

"STIGMA formed a peace treaty with the vampire head council fifty years ago." I explained. "No vampire is to drink from man without the human's consent and no human is allowed to hunt vampires without the will of the council. If a vampire or human break this arrangement then each side's party has five days to catch and execute the criminal. If this is not resolved then the other side will step in and resolve the problem."

"An accurate description of our laws." Mr Giovanni murmured. "I will be approaching the vampire council tomorrow regarding this incident. Our vampire specialists will start sweeping the surrounding area of the village for clues. Also council member Vakos will be at the Yule ball this coming Friday.

"What shall we do in the meantime?" Dita asked.

"Information on that village is being gathered as we speak. The town is quite old and any records pertaining to its origins are hard to obtain. However the slaying of those ten women was not random and very intentional. The question is why. You will assist the analyst and research department in anyway possible."

The thought of being shut away in the library for the next few days didn't quite appeal to me. "Mr Giovanni, would I be able to join the vamp team in searching the surrounding area? It would be a better use of my combat skills."

"It would also be a waste of your intuition and investigative skills. I believe you also have some vacation time after the Yule ball as well. You wouldn't be able to get back from Canada in time. That is all. Dismissed." He then left us silently as if to express the finality of his orders.

I sighed. "Great. Two days in the library. What more could I ask for?"

"Come on, Alex." Arkan grinned. "At least there's no danger of any of us dying in here."

"Except of boredom." I replied.

"You used to love sneaking into here during lecture." Melissa teased. "Now you avoid this place like the plague."

"Well I'll be the first to admit that I'd rather be out there kicking ass than hitting the books. Never mind that." I took my seat. "So far all we have is the facts. We have ten dead women bled out by vampires which explains the loss of blood with one blood spot on the wall. Our significant factors are the number ten, women, blood stains and vampires. Has anyone marked the murder scenes on a map yet to see if there's any pattern emerging?"

"I tried that already." Arkan replied. "I can't see any pattern."

"Forward it to me anyway and I'll take a look. Dita and I will research the significance of the number ten and blood marks, Charlie I want you to research women in relation to the number ten. Arkan and Mel, please look into any historical vampire murders including all these factors."

"Sounds like a plan." Charlie said.

"Until we have more information on the town and its people, this is really all we can do. We'll begin tomorrow morning at 8am sharp and convene at 2 pm after lunch to cross check our information. Any questions?"

No one said anything.

"Good. Everybody go home and get some rest. I'll see you all tomorrow at eight."

As they left I collapsed back onto my chair. This was my first major assignment in months. It had been strangely quiet on the supernatural front lately. I would have gone so far as to say it had been too quiet. Or maybe I was just bored. I was so used to perpetually being close to being killed that living in peace and quiet was uncomfortable for me.

"A penny for your thoughts?" I whipped my head around. A tall blonde haired woman dressed in a loose white man's shirt and black leather pants stood behind me holding a pile of ancient looking books.

"Hey Trish. It's been a while."

"It has been." Trish looked around. "Have you seen Vergil? These books are for him."

I shrugged. "The last time I saw him he was leaving. If you just want to leave them in his office you can. The door's unlocked."

"Whatever." She disappeared into the shadows. I smiled in her direction. I had never really gotten to know her too well but I liked her well enough. She was quiet, confident and didn't fuck around. How she put up working with Dante was a complete mystery to me. They were total opposites of each other.

"So how have you been?" She asked as returned from completing her task.

"Well up until recently bored. How about yourself?"

"Same as always."

"You gonna be here all night?" I asked.

She nodded. "I promised Vergil I would help him with some research."

"Well I'm going to the gym to practice my sword play." I stood up and stretched. "Let me know if you get bored with popsicle head."

I swear I heard the smallest of chuckles from Trish as I exited.

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I had changed into red track pants and a blue tank top that was cut off at the midriff. I sat on the blue mats in the sparring area of the gym with my eyes closed as I concentrated on my breathing.

I always put a lot of effort into 'cleansing' myself of my thoughts before picking up a weapon. I wanted to regain some control in a world where chaos ruled and human emotion caused more damage than any pistol or sword. I wanted to be able to have some freedom from the conflict within my heart. After all, if I couldn't control myself, the most dangerous weapon of all, how could I wield a blade properly?

I grasped my black wooden bokken with the light brown wrapping on the handle and jumped to my feet. While only a training sword, it was still deadly in the hands of the right person and mirrored the sleek deadly elegance of the katana.

I took first position and tried to imagine having opponents to fight. I was never good at using my imagination. I suddenly wished I had Carmen or even Adrian to spar against.

"Okay, Alex. There's a vamp in that corner. Go get him." I muttered unenthusiastically. It was no good. I couldn't visualise anything. So I practised each position over and over again.

Finally I came to number six and swung my bokken around my head. I closed my eyes and sank back into a defensive position. This time I would use the power of my imagination…provided I didn't run into any walls.

"Okay vamps, here I come!" Keeping my eyes closed I launched myself at my imaginary target. I imagined the vampire with a sword as well. As my katana came around to collide with his sword, a very real sword impacted with mine.

I opened my eyes. A brown bokken had connected with my black one. The owner stood there waiting for me to respond.

"I thought you were in the library with Trish."

"She said you were in here practicing." Vergil raised his bokken. He had changed into black pants and a black sleeveless shirt, revealing his well muscled arms. "My work is done for the day. I thought you could use some company."

"Oh." Occasionally Vergil would join me for training. But that hadn't happened in a long time. He didn't so much as avoid me as picking when he wanted to interact. It was just the way he was. I was one of the few people he knew at STIGMA outside of the library. It was only natural that he would gravitate towards me. It wouldn't have been nothing more than that.

"Shall we begin?" He asked.

I regained my composure and once again took first position. "I'm ready."

And so we fought. The sound of wood emanated from our fighting again and again. I knew he wasn't using his full speed and strength against me. Otherwise I don't think I would have been able to keep up with him.

Eventually Vergil started backing me into a corner. He always won no matter how much he slowed himself down. It was inevitable but I had to say that I was lasting longer against him than our previous matches. Slowly I had been managing to adapt.

Soon enough I felt the wall back against my back and mentally cursed. There was no way I could ever beat him in a one on one with just a sword. I waited for Vergil to pretend to land a killing blow. Our training swords collided for the last blow. I struggled against him.

"I guess I win again. Though you are getting better."

I attempted to push harder against him. "What's the matter, Verge? Afraid I might bi-"

The next thing I knew he was kissing me. Vergil AKA Frosty the snowman had me pinned against the wall and was kissing me. Soft and slow and first but then harder and desperate. I dropped my sword, wrapped my arms around his neck and reciprocated.

Slowly he moved his arms to wrap them around my waist, bringing me closer to him. I arched into his body. For the colour of his skin, he was surprisingly warm.

"Vergil," I whispered as we broke apart for air and he started trailing kisses down the right side of my neck.

"Alex," He breathed into my ear. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

In that moment pleasure turned to pain. Unbelievable, excruciating white hot pain wracked my entire body. It seemed to come from a sharpness in my neck. All different colours flashed before my eyes.

I fell to the ground. Vergil reeled back from me. He had partially shifted into his devil form and blood dripped from his mouth.

"Oh god, Vergil what did you do?" I whimpered as I put my hand to my neck and found blood.

"What have I done?" He whispered. His humanity left him and he flew upwards through the glass skylight. I struggled to my feet. Whatever he had done, it was bringing me down fast and possibly to my death.

My vision was starting to blur as I stumbled down the hallway. I collapsed on the ground.

"ALEX!" Micah was running to me. Everything was turning to black.

"Micah, find Trish." That was all I managed to get out before I lost consciousness.

**Author's note: Well I'm heading a little bit darker than the last story.**

**Devilrebel: Welcome back! Thanks for the first review! Please keep them coming.**

**Next chapter: Infected With You.**


	4. Infected With You

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 4: Infected With You**

_I was falling deep into a void. Time had no meaning here. I had no meaning here. I was nobody here. All that I was had been ripped apart. And yet I was reforming, being reborn from the ground up._

_My hands were strong, powerful, but they were also covered in blue hard scales, like a dragon's back. The scales started appearing further up my arms and onto my shoulders_

"_But I'm human aren't I?" I whispered._

_A voice spoke in the darkness. "Not as much as you used to be." A dragon's head emerged from the darkness and opened it's jaws._

_I screamed._

"She's coming around." I could hear Trish as I opened my eyes. I looked up at the ceiling. It was an unfamiliar ceiling until I looked to the right to see a friendly gargoyle. I was lying on a plush carpeted floor.

"Am I in the library?" I asked weakly.

"Yes." Micah answered. I sat up and put my hand to my neck expecting to find a wound or bandages. But to my shock, the skin was completely healed, if not a little tender.

"Careful with that." Trish said. She wiped my forehead with a cool damp cloth.

"What is this Trish?" I demanded. "What the hell did Vergil do to me?"

"Micah, could you please give us a moment?" Trish asked the young seer. She bowed and left the library. She then turned back to me. "Vergil has marked you."

I felt my face go pale. "Oh my god he's marked me for death?" Upon seeing the look of mild annoyance on Trish's face I decided to shut up.

"No. He's marked you as his mate."

I blinked. "Come again?"

"It's traditional amongst devils to place a mark on their chosen brides to let all other beings know that their chosen is off limits."

My mind was spinning. "Oh…god." My head was in my hands. "Trish, there's gotta be more to it than that.

"The mated pair will in essence bond their minds, spirits and in some cases the female will take on some physical traits of the male. Those traits are randomly chosen and cannot be controlled.

"How do you know all this?"

She lifted back her hair from the right side of her neck. A small black ring seemed to be tattooed onto her neck.

"Is that the mark?" I pointed towards it.

"Yes. You will form a similar one over the next few days."

"But who is your mate?" I asked her. She didn't say anything. I thought for a moment and took a wild guess.

"Trish, it is Dante?"

Trish smiled warmly and had a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was thinking of him right that second.

"Oh. I didn't know you two were a couple."

"It is what it is. It's nothing to jump up and down about."

"Sorry. I don't mean to pry." I sat up. I felt okay. There was no dizziness and no other pain. "I think I should go home. I would feel better in my apartment."

"Do you need me to drive you there?" She offered.

I shook my head. "No but thanks for offering. And thanks for looking after me. But I need to ask you for a favour. Please don't tell Dante. I don't need him getting worried about me."

Trish nodded. "I won't tell him but when he sees you at the ball on Friday, he's going to know."

"I understand. I'll deal with this."

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My apartment was located in Caruso Port Town near the ocean. It was right next to the shipping village that was the predominant industry in this tiny little part of America. I loved my apartment. Every evening when I was home I would make some dinner and sit to eat on the balcony, feeling the ocean breeze on my skin.

Tonight however, after parking my bike in the garage downstairs and opening up the balcony door to let some air in, I collapsed onto the black leather couch. I didn't feel hungry or thirsty. Instead I felt afraid. I felt violated and possibly heart broken.

Despite assuring Trish that I was perfectly fine, I was now feeling nauseous and scared. My mind kept replaying the events of the evening over and over again. I kept seeing _him_ in my mind. That wonderful beautiful snow like face which had once represented the one person I would have wanted to be with, now was the one person I feared. It was a strange thing to love someone and be terrified of them at the same time.

"How could you, Vergil?" I whispered. Tears fell down my face as I pulled myself into a ball and tried to block everything out. But all I could see was him, which only made me cry more.

"How could you?" I kept repeating over and over again. The tears wouldn't stop coming as I buried my head into a cushion. All I wanted was the warmth I found in the darkness of sleep. I wanted to feel safe again.

I was jolted out of my reverie by the phone ringing. I didn't answer it. Instead I waited as the answering machine clicked on.

"_Alex, its Adrian. If you're there pick up. Micah said you had been attacked. You haven't been answering your cell phone. Please call me when you get this."_ I hear him sigh. "_Love you sis."_

I sat up and went out onto the balcony. The wind wafted over me, while I stared out into the black of night, trying to find some relief from the mixed feelings in my heart. Still there was only him, my love, my fear and my sorrow.

"Damnit!" I snapped. How dare he make me feel like this? I had taken down demons, witches and all vile manner of filth. I was a warrior. I would not be destroyed by him. Slowly my anger rose above all other feelings and I felt powerful again.

I sat down on the deck chair I had bought for the balcony and looked up at the stars. It was soothing to just lay there and look up. I had fallen asleep here some nights. Perhaps tonight would be one of those nights.

I would have to go back into work tomorrow. I refused to call in sick. I wasn't sure about how I would cope having to be in the library with him. Maybe I could talk Carmen into letting me borrow a terminal in the ops centre.

The phone started ringing again. I ignored it and closed my eyes. Tonight was going to be one of those nights after all.

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I awoke as the sun was rising. Sleep had dulled the pain, both in my neck and in my heart somewhat. Somehow everything always looked better in the morning.

I summoned the strength to go inside and get ready for work. No breakfast. I had no appetite. So I settled for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Once I was dressed in tan leather pants, a red tee and black jacket I headed out.

I wasn't going to hide from him. I wanted to confront him. I wanted to know why he did this and what his feelings for me were. I couldn't believe he would do this out of love. I couldn't believe that he knew how to love. It didn't seem possible.

However, when I got there, he wasn't in the library. I felt disappointed. So much for confrontation.

"You're here early, Alex."

I looked to my right. Carmen had a book in her hand from the Greek mythology section.

"Touché, Madame Detrius. What brings you here?"

She took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes. "A hobby of mine. I've been doing research on different religions for the last few years. I've been trying to find a common link among them all or at least seeing if one exists."

"Are you going to the ball on Friday?"

"Of course. I hear you're going this time. You couldn't find an assignment to volunteer for?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you implying I've been piking the last few years?"

"Yes." Blunt and straight to the point as always she was. She smiled as if looking at her favourite child. "You were always asking for more work this time of year. I'm glad you're coming this time though. Have you bought a dress yet?"

I shook my head. "I'll be shopping tomorrow night. I won't be spending too much money though for something I'll only wear once."

"Do try to make an effort, Alex. You should go for something black. With the way your skin is right now, it will offset the tone quite nicely."

"Yeah, well if I had been out in the field instead of stuck inside this place for months on end, I wouldn't be so white."

She chuckled. "It looks good on you. Do you have a date?"

I smiled happily. "Yeah. Logan Di Massey. Squad leader for cleaning crew eight."

Carmen grinned. "I've seen him. He's cute. Good work there. I'm glad I've taught you _something_ over the years about men."

I shrugged. "Hey he did all the work there. I had nothing to do with it. Still, I'm glad I've got a date. Speaking of which, have you seen my brother lately? Who's he going with?"

Carmen narrowed your eyes. "You mean, you don't know?"

"Know what?"

She put back the book she was looking at. "Well if you don't know then I probably should let Adrian tell you."

"Tell me what?" I demanded. She started walking away.

"Carmen?" I called after her.

"Sorry Alex. Duty calls." She flipped me off as she left.

I stood there perplexed. What was going on with my twin brother and who was he taking on Friday? Whoever it was, hopefully they were normal and not the type to bite their date on the neck in an ancient binding ritual.

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The rest of the week went pretty quickly. No progress was made in our research except for one tiny clue. The number ten had great religious significance in both human religions and demonic mythology. Still the most vital piece of information would probably be the town records. We would probably have that report next week. Unfortunately by then I would be on vacation and was going to miss all the fun.

It was nearing seven pm on Friday evening. I was dressed in a black satin floor length evening gown. The dress came up just under my collar bone and slouched under said area. The dress was completely backless. It was accompanied by long dangly earrings, a simple silver bangle and satin silver sandals with a one inch stiletto heel.

"Okay, I am a classy stylish woman." I muttered to myself in the mirror while drying my curls, trying to not let them frizz out. "I will be a stylish classy woman who attracts hot guys and not the ones who you fall in love with but end up breaking your heart because they violated you while they were kissing you…great one Alex."

I hadn't seen Vergil since that night. I had wondered if what he had done to me had affected him in some way. I had suffered nightmares since and had lost the will to eat anything at all. I felt somewhat numb to it all now. And yet I still wanted to see him.

My hair was done. I was wearing make up and a dress that I spent way too much money on. But looking in the mirror it had been worth it. For once I looked like a woman. Maybe tonight he would see that.

My phone started ringing. I looked at the display to see that it was Logan.

"You're not calling to bail on me are you?" I asked as I answered. He laughed quietly.

"No. I'm calling because I'm here early and I'd like you to come down so I can drive a princess to the ball."

I grinned. "Well if I find one I'll be sure to send her down. In the meantime you'll have to settle for being my escort."

"Just get your ass down here McCann."

I smiled stupidly as I hung up. Well at least for now I could be somebody's princess.

He was waiting for me downstairs in a black Honda CRV. Logan's choice of attire was a tailored white shirt and black pants. It was such a simple outfit but he made it look effortlessly stylish.

"Good evening milady."

"Good evening yourself." I eyed him as I climbed in. "Are you ready to be bored out of your mind for the next five to six hours?"

"Always am." And we were off, blasting music out the windows as we drove.

_The youth they can't go home_

_They're caught up in the zone_

_Throwin' stones_

_Usin' em for target practice_

_Bullets on the train_

_We all look the same_

_Got no name_

"Hey this is good." I commented, while listening to the strange fusion of electro, rock and reggae. "Who is this?"

"They're called Asian Dub Foundation." Logan answered. "I'll lend you the CD. I think you'll like them. I play some of this stuff while we train at HQ. Your brother particularly enjoys the music."

"Well Adrian's always been a music nut. A bit more than me I think." I paused for a moment. "Do you know who he's taking as a date?"

Logan shrugged. "Not sure. I didn't know he was taking anybody. He didn't say anything to you?"

I shook my head. "No. We haven't really had time to talk in the last few days. I was supposed to see him in Canada but you ended up being there instead."

"Lucky me." He grinned. I just rolled my eyes. But I was smiling on the inside as well.

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The grand ball room was as titled, grandiose! Large chandeliers hung from the cream painted ceiling. Paintings of scenes from ancient religions hung on the walls. The room was filled with elegant ladies and handsome men. So the question begged to be answered; what the hell was I doing there?

Logan and I linked arms and walked through the masses of people. I felt very safe with him circling the room and socialising with our colleagues. I noticed how charming, funny and plain cool Logan was when talking to other people, even the older more crotchety warlocks and witches found him amicable.

"How do you do that?" I asked him.

"Do what?"

"Be so annoyingly charming." I replied.

He shrugged. "Natural talent."

I laughed. "Wow. Is modesty a talent of yours too?"

"Of course. Come on. Let's dance."

He lead me to the dance floor. A small group of musicians were playing Vivaldi's four seasons. We began what could have been an elegant waltz if it weren't for my lack of elegance.

"Just relax." He whispered. "It won't be so bad if you didn't tense up."

"I'm sorry." I apologised. "By the way I have a strange favour. If you see Vergil Spara within my general vicinity at anytime I need you to move me away from him."

"Ah so you're not a fan either."

"What do you mean?"

Logan shifted his eyes left and right then rested his gaze back on me. "I was in the gym sparring last night when he came in. I asked if he wanted a training partner. That was a mistake. I swear he was trying to kill me."

I was about to reply when I saw my brother, dancing with a strangely familiar young woman. Her dress was made out of ivory satin embroidered with flowers. He long curls were pinned back against her head, some falling slightly over a demure lily white face.

"My god. That's Micah." I whispered. Could that have been who Carmen had been referring to.

"Jason." I called to him. Jason was dancing with some girl I didn't know. "Jason, is that Micah with Adrian.

Jason looked over at me. "You didn't know?"

"Know about what?"

He moved himself and his date closer to myself and Logan. "They've been dating for the last four months. He didn't tell you?"

"Obviously." I hissed.

"Well you should go ask him about it." Jason then moved his date who was getting pissed at me away from us.

"Logan, do you mind if I see my brother after this dance?"

"Of course not."

"Not until we've spoken about what's happened to you." I turned around and groaned.

"Oh shit."

"May I steal your partner for a moment, good sir?" Dante placed a hand on my shoulder and looked directly into my eyes. "We need to talk."

**Author's note: That song by Asian Dub Foundation is called 'Target Practice'. Check it out.**

**Devilrebel – Yes some randomness is about to ensue but at some point it will all make sense…I think. Thanks again for leaving feedback.**

**Please keep all comments and reviews coming.**

**Next chapter: Ophelia's Descent.**


	5. Ophelia's Descent Part 1

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 5: Ophelia's Descent Part 1**

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Dante demanded.

It never failed to amaze me how two people who were physically identical could look so different in my eyes. Dante was the more human of the two. He had an energy and a boyishness about him that never seemed to fade. Even now when he was angry with me it was because he cared. I had nothing to fear from his anger unlike Vergil. The last time I pissed him off I ended up with his hand around my neck.

Of course he had ended up with at least six bullets in him too.

We had moved off the dance floor and over near the refreshment table. I had picked up a glass of champagne and was fiddling with it absentmindedly instead of drinking it. Dante was waiting for an answer.

"Well?"

I fumbled for an answer only to discover that I didn't have one. "I suppose I didn't want to worry you."

"Well you've worried me more than if you had just called me to say, 'hey your bro just bit me on the neck.'!"

"I'm sorry." I retorted. "I wasn't sure what to do. I haven't seen Vergil since that night and I've been fine since then."

Dante pushed back my hair from my recently bitten neck. "Well it looks like he did it right. He could have easily killed you. The process was banned on humans years ago. You need to be more careful around him. He's here and he looks like he's ready to kick your pretty boy's ass."

I scoffed. "Yeah right. Vergil could care less about me."

"I know my brother pretty well enough to tell when he's jealous. Look this aside, I want you to come home with me after tonight so I can keep an eye on you."

"What for?"

"You may not know it now but there will be consequences from this. I don't even know what they are. At least stay for a few days so I can make sure everything's going to be okay."

I sighed. "Alright. We'll need to swing by my apartment on the way home so I can get my things."

"Fine." He hugged me and grinned. "You humans are always getting yourselves into trouble."

"Good thing I've got you to protect me huh?"

"Go dance with your man. I'll go talk to my bro."

I found Logan waiting for me.

"Sorry about that." I apologised. I noticed that the classical music had stopped.

"No that's cool. The boring part's over. It looks like they're bringing in a d.j anyway. The fun's about to start!"

"Alexandra," I head the cool vocal tones of Mr Giovanni behind me. He was accompanied by two people. A woman whose skin was somehow whiter than Vergil's dressed in black lace. A pearl circlet decorated her violet hair that was shot through with silver. The man was human enough or at least appeared to be. His brown hair was cut short. He was simply dressed in a black suit, black shirt and white tie.

"This is council member Vakos from the Vampire High Council," Mr Giovanni introduced the woman, "And her human liaison Nikolai."

"Good evening." Vakos prounounced in a thick Russian accent.

"This is Logan Di Massey from our cleaning department."

"Is this the one who executed fledgling vampires?" Vakos questioned him while looking him up and down.

"All done within the confines of the treaty." Logan responded, clearly not afraid of her. "One of those fledglings nearly tore out Agent McCann's throat as well as endangering my people."

"I am not questioning the legalities of your actions, only verifying them." She replied. "But your directness is appreciated. It is so rare among humans."

"We are here to discuss those events with your leader." Nikolai spoke for the first time. From his accent I also judged him to be Russian. "We wish to coordinate a joint effort to find this murderer."

"And we welcome those efforts." Mr Giovanni interrupted. "But tonight we encourage you to enjoy our party and to mingle with STIGMA's many staff."

"And we shall do so." Vakos bowed and linked arms with Nikolai. As they walked away I looked to my boss.

"Was that a show of force we just pulled off?" I asked him.

He laughed quietly but sadly. "You could say that. The moment the report about the murders came to me I had contact from the High Council requesting us to let them join us tonight. They either know something or are behind this. Either way this is a situation I don't care for."

"What are your orders from here?" I stood ready waiting.

"The same request I gave to the vampire and her pet human; enjoy the party." He disappeared into the crowd of people. I noticed the contempt he put into the word 'human' and frowned.

"This is turning out to be a really weird night." I commented to Logan.

He nodded slowly. "So, dance?"

"I'd love to."

The music started.

_All the kids in the club give it up for what I'm dishin'_

_This beat's got heat and so tonight I'm wishing_

_To get to the floor_

_So I can get me some more_

_I wanna put out a toast to those who freak me the most_

This song was amazing. It brought out something within me. I raised my arms above my head as Logan circled his arms around my waist and we danced.

_I got a feeling and I just can't let it go_

_Now I can't stop it baby let's get physical_

_Just wanna get up in the good vibrations_

_And I can feel it in the air_

_It's gonna be a hot summer_

Were we amazing dancers? No but I still enjoyed myself. So much so that I tripped on part of my dress and would have fallen backwards onto the floor over if Logan hadn't caught me in his arms.

"Whoa, easy there Alex." He lifted back up to stand on my feet. "You're lucky you're so light."

"Just pretend that I did that on pur-" He silenced me with a kiss. It wasn't like when Vergil kissed me. It wasn't full of need, passion and intent. It was soft and gentle. It was like I was fragile object he was afraid of breaking.

It was in that moment that I realised I would never care for him as I would Vergil. A sharpness hit my neck and I pulled away.

"Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head. "I just need some air. I'll be right back."

I found my way to the balcony near the cloakroom. It was a clear night and the wind danced around me, playing with loose curls.

"Miss, is there something wrong?" A voice from behind me asked. I turned around.

A man in his late fifties was next to the door to the cloakroom. His black hair was marred by streaks of grey. Faded green eyes appeared concerned.

"Oh I'm okay." I lied. "Just a little overheated."

"That is good to hear." He fiddled with a pocket watch. "My name is Daniel Clarke. I am a former agent for STIGMA, here at Mr Giovanni's request. And you must be Alexandra McCann."

"Does everyone know who I am?"

He stood and turned to leave. "Only those who matter. Good night Agent McCann."

"Good night Agent Clarke."

As he left I frowned. He was somewhat familiar but I couldn't place him. The only conclusion I had was maybe I had seen him somewhere in STIGMA's records.

I decided to get my black bag and find Dante so I could leave. As I approached the door, I stopped. The sounds of people arguing were coming from the room. I was about to walk away.

"Don't pretend she doesn't mean anything to you!" I could hear Dante. "Marking her was dangerous. Do you have any idea what this could do to her?"

"She won't die." Vergil snapped. "Fate seems to have made sure of that, leaving me with a burden such as her."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Marking humans was banned for a reason."

"Mom survived it."

"Mom consented to the progress you idiot! Alex didn't have a choice. You may as damn well have raped her!"

"How dare you." Vergil sounded like he was itching for a fight.

I decided that this would be a good moment for my escape. Or it would have been if I hadn't run into the vase on a cabinet next to the door and sent it to the marble floor with a loud crash.

"Fuck." I muttered.

"Alex, you're out there aren't you." Dante called.

I pushed the door open and glared at Vergil. "Yeah I was. I just came to get my bag. Didn't want to be such a _burden_ on you and make you wait all night. If you need me I'll be at the shooting range."

I stalked out, heels clacking loudly on the floor as I walked. I fumbled in my bag and found my gun. I was in the mood for shooting stuff.

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Bang, bang, bang, bang….another target sheet was obliterated in my anger. I poured my rage into each shot and pretended I was shooting Vergil's perfect stone face.

"Evil bastard." I muttered as I pulled the trigger. "Die you evil, lying weasel."

Diabolique had never had such a workout until recently except for when I visited the range for practice or when I needed to blow off some steam. I was thankful that the gun never ran out of ammunition. It made target practice a hell of lot easier.

"Remind me to never get you pissed off." I jumped a metre in the air. Adrian was just casually standing near the door, still dressed in a tux.

"So when were you planning on telling me about you and Micah." I turned to him.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I was a bit afraid of what you would think and decided to hold off."

"Why would you be afraid of what I think?"

"Because she's a sweet young girl and I'm a dirty old man."

I laughed loudly. "Firstly she's eighteen and she's legal. She's old enough to make decisions about who she wants to date. Secondly we're the exact same age, dumbass. Are you calling me old?"

He snickered. "Whoops."

"You're not over the hill yet, bro. Don't worry so much about what everyone else thinks and try to be happy that you have someone unlike your spinster of a sister."

"You're not a spinster and you know it. By the way Dante's looking for you."

I took my protective goggles off and put the gun away. "Well guess I'd better go. I'll be staying at Dante's for the first few days of my vacation."

"Sounds like fun. Just be careful. I always worry when you go demon hunting with him."

I hugged my brother. "I'll be fine, Adrian. I can't really die you know. And apparently neither can you."

Adrian shook his head. "I'd prefer for you to not test the limits of your supposed immunity to dying. Promise me you'll be careful?"

"I will." I tried to ruffle his hair but found it to be stiff with gel. "Hair products bro? Didn't you say they were for pretty boys?"

"Yeah yeah. Shut it."

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I found Dante by the entrance to the ballroom.

"What kept you so long?"

"Just working out some anger. Are you ready to leave?"

"Pretty much. We'll stop by your apartment first. It's a long drive to my place so you might want to catch some shut eye on the way."

After stopping by my apartment for a change of clothes and packing some spare ones along with my sword we headed out.

It was after nine pm now as we drove along the highway. Dante's rock music blasted out of the speakers. I sat there just numb to it all. All I could hear were Vergil's words, calling me a burden. That's all I was to him, just a burden on his time.

"He loves you, you know." Dante's voice cut through my thoughts. "He's just too damn stubborn to admit it."

"Bullshit." I replied darkly.

"I'm serious. Despite what he said, he does have a heart."

"I can't feel anything anymore, Dante. I'm so fucking numb to everything. It's like I'm not real without him. And that's the worst part, knowing that I suffer while he just stands there and stares at me."

Dante opened his mouth to reply when his phone rang.

"Trish, what's going on?"

"We just got a call for a job." Trish's voice echoed over the tiny mounted speakers placed in the front of the car. "There's a reported vampire attack in a cemetery halfway near us and Caruso Port Town. "Can you intercept?"

"Got it babe. I'll see you when I get home." Dante grinned and sped up. "Guess now it's your chance to find out if you're really alive, huh?"

**Author's note: Sorry for taking so long. Writer's block struck once more.**

**Thanks for everyone's comments so far. Please keep them coming.**

**Next chapter: Ophelia's Descent Part 2.**


	6. Ophelia's Descent Part 2

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 6: Ophelia's Descent Part 2**

Rookwood Cemetery was one of those places I didn't know existed just off the highway. It had probably never been noted for any major supernatural activity unless one accounted for the typical apparitions and spirits that haunted every cemetery I'd ever been to. But even those were more or less harmless. But it wasn't the lingering spirits that I was concerned with. It was the five or so male vampires that were desecrating an unmarked grave.

"What the hell are they doing?" I whispered to Dante as we hid in the bushes. "I can't see any human corpses here. There's no one being attacked."

"Beats me. Vamps usually go for something fresher than what's going to be in that box they're digging up." He drew Ivory. "Let's go find out."

"Dante, wait." I hissed. "I can't kill them. It would violate the treaty."

"Who said anything about killing them? I was just planning on beating the shit out of them."

"Oh." I paused. "Well in that case," I withdrew Diabolique. "Let's play!"

"Stay close to me. They're a lot faster than you are."

"Got it." I then paused. "Wait, does that mean you let me win the first time we met?"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean MAYBE?"

The vampires stopped and focused their stares on our location.

"Oh shit."

Faster than I could see a hand came at me and grabbed my throat.

"Well this feels familiar." My voice was strained from lack of oxygen.

"Tell me," The vampire who was currently choking me said, "What is a filthy human whore and a devil doing trespassing on vampire ground?"

I was pushed back to the ground. I looked up to the see the vampire hitting a nearby tree.

"How's about you explain what you're doing excavating a corpse?" Dante was rubbing his fist. "Damn that bastard has a face made of concrete! I thought blood suckers liked their food supply a little less dead."

I coughed. My vision wasn't blurring from lack of oxygen which was strange. Even stranger, the colours changed. And I could see every movement Dante and the vamps made. It was as if time had slowed down for everyone else except me.

I watched as Dante raised Ivory. But his movements weren't in one single blur. His arm still blurred but it was if someone had hit the slow motion button and the blur had been played out one frame at a time.

"What the hell?" I muttered. Was the mark affecting me more than I thought possible? Time to test that theory.

I stood and ran to the nearest vamp and punched him.

"Ow! Damn his face _is_ like concrete!"

My vision reverted to normal. The vamp backhanded me and I went sailing backwards into the nearest slab of stone. Dante devil triggered and went to work. One by one each vamp went flying in directions, hitting grave markers.

"One good turn deserves another." Dante proclaimed as he shifted back to his human form. "Now you can either tell us what you were doing here or I can wipe you off the face off the earth right now. It's your choice."

"If you kill us you violate the treaty." One of them hissed. He was of Asian appearance with dark spiky hair."

"What you bastards haven't quite figured out is that I'm not human. The treaty doesn't apply to me."

_But you're half human_ I thought, wincing from the pain in my right shoulder.

_Just play along_ Dante's voice echoed in my head. I stifled a gasp.

"So gentlemen, what'll it be?" Dante stood there waiting patiently; Ivory drawn and ready to fire. I raised Diabolique, even though firing it could potentially cost me my life and Vergil's.

"I sense human blood in you, Devil." A Spanish sounding vampire echoed three metres across from Dante. His black hair was pulled off his face in a braid. "Could you be the legendary son of Sparda who kills his own kind?"

_Is there any hell spawn who doesn't know who you are?_ I thought. But I didn't know if Dante had heard me or not. He didn't answer.

"If so then the treaty _does_ apply to you. We will now take our leave." He motioned for the rest of the vampires to come with him.

"The name's Claudio, son of Sparda. Remember it well. My master will be watching." One of them reached into the crypt and pulled out something. It was too dark to see what it was.

"Well that was a waste of time." I muttered. "Did Trish say who our tip off was."

Dante walked over and offered his hand. "No. But we should check the coffin to see if there's any clues. Come on."

The coffin was empty but there was a strange symbol on the base. It was similar to a cartouche but had a glyphic twist to it.

"What the hell is that?"

"I've never seen anything like it." Dante reached in and traced a hand over it.

I snapped a picture of it with my headset camera and put it away. "I'll need to send this back to HQ."

"It can wait. Let's get back to the office first."

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Devil May Cry was almost exactly as I had remembered it to be; minus the gaping hole where the land cruiser that had belonged to me and my brother had landed after being thrown around by scare crows.

As I walked in the front door Trish was the first to greet us. "How it go?"

"Interesting." Dante answered.

"No one was being attacked. There were vamps in Rookwood Cemetery digging up a grave that had no body in it. They took something but I don't know what." I took a seat on the couch and booted up my laptop. "Who ordered the job?"

Trish shrugged. "It was a woman, the voice was European. They'd already wired the money to our account. I saw no reason for us to turn it down."

"We found one clue. A symbol in the coffin floor." I connected the headset to the laptop and uploaded the picture. "Trish, do you recognise this symbol in any way?"

Trish took a seat next to me. "Hmmm. From the design alone I can tell that this dates back as far as the Roman Empire_**.**_ Many of the vampiric warlords used that type of art to create their own symbols of power. Mundus once told me a story of a particular vampire warlord named Krases. Krases once ruled the vampire council alone and he did it with an iron fist." She paused

"Anyone who defied him was put to death without trial. This continued for three hundred years until the other vampire elders united to take him down. That was the first time ever that the vampire elders had ever put their differences aside to defeat a common enemy."

"And then?" I questioned.

"They knew they could never kill him in combat so he was imprisoned for all of time. Where he is buried is unknown to anyone except the current vampire council. Council member Vakos as I understand it was particularly prominent in the rebellion against Krases."

"Vakos." I whispered. "Trish, how well do you know her?"

"Mostly by reputation. But we have met once. She's a very powerful woman."

"No doubt." I transmitted the image to STIGMA with a message that detailed the evening's events. I encrypted the message and sent it by Priority One channel. What happened from there was anybody's guess.

My stomach growled. "Dante, any chance of getting some food?"

"When was the last time you ate?" He walked to his desk and picked up the phone.

My voice was barely a whisper. "Since it happened."

"Are you avoiding food?" Trish asked. I shook my head.

"No. I've just had no appetite. I've been drinking a lot of water though. Do you think it's a result of the mark?"

"More likely you've been in a state of shock."

"Something happened to me at the cemetery, Dante. I could see you and those vampires in slow motion. It was if time had slowed down for everyone else except for me. And I could hear you in my head. What the hell is happening to me?"

"I'm not sure. The only other human who's been marked post ban was my mother and that happened before I was born. If I had to guess I say you've been able to channel some of Vergil's abilities."

"Great. What else should I be expecting? Will I be turning blue and scaly anytime soon?" My hands were shaking as I remembered my dream.

"I don't think so. Dante, get her something to eat before she passes out. I'm surprised you're still conscious."

"Yeah so am I."

"Hey Alex," Dante called. "What do you want on your pizza?"

"Just get a margarita pizza for me, Dante. There's money in my wallet if you want it."

"Got it."

"I'll be upstairs. I need a shower."

When I got upstairs into the guest room I dumped my travel bag on my bed and pulled out a pair of pyjamas. I undressed and went into the adjacent bathroom for a shower.

As I looked into the mirror, I breathed sharply. Bruising had crept up my right shoulder. I turned around to get a better look at the damage. My right shoulder blade was purple, blue and grey.

"Damn. I need to be more careful."

The hot water of my shower helped to relieve some of the pain but it still made me grit my teeth every time I raised my arm. It was a shame I couldn't have channelled some of Vergil's fast healing abilities as well as his speed and telepathy.

After showering I changed into my pyjamas which consisted of long light blue cotton pants and a white singlet. I looked at it again in the mirror and grimaced.

"Why would Vergil want someone like me when he could get someone like Trish?" I muttered.

"Because unlike me, you don't look like his dead mother." Trish's voice came from behind me and it was only then that I made the connection between her haunting beauty and that of the woman in my dreams, Sparda's wife Eva.

"I never noticed before. You do look exactly like Eva."

"You knew her?"

I shook my head. "Only in my dreams. I seem to have absorbed some of Vergil's memories. I know so much about him but very little about my own past. Ain't life a bitch?"

"Dinner's ready. Come downstairs." She left. I tied my hair back and followed her downstairs. Dante was setting the table. There were pizza boxes in the middle and some beers.

"How can you drink that crap?" I asked him.

Dante laughed quietly. "God you sound just like my brother."

My heart skipped a beat thinking of the spiky haired half-breed and I suddenly wished he was beside me.

"Alex, you okay over there?" Dante stood there looking quizzically at me.

I blinked. "Sorry I just zoned out for a second."

"Come on. Let's eat."

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After dinner Trish and Dante had gone to bed. No more calls for job offers came in that night. I sat in the chair next to my bed looking out the window, unable to sleep. All I could think about was _him_. And the pain was far worse than the one in my shoulder.

Eventually I moved to my bed and tried to sleep. But after that failed I put my headphones on and switched on some music.

"_Mommy, mommy wake up. Please wake up." Lariska was crying. Little Lawrence was curled up in a ball on the front seat of the broken down car they were trapped in._

"_Mommy, please wake up." Lariska pushed at her mother. As she pulled her hand away, she screamed. It was covered in blood._

I gasped as I woke up. I was drenched in sweat. I threw the covers off me and ran to the bathroom.

I turned the tap on and washed my face and splashed water on my neck. I stood there for a few moments, head hanging low trying to get the image of a screaming child out of my head. Those images were becoming more vivid every time I dreamed them.

I raised my head to look in the mirror. But instead of my reflection a blue dragon stared back at me. I jumped backwards and nearly screamed.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

It spoke in a harsh tone. "I am what you will become." And then like back in my dreams, it opened it's mouth and swallowed me whole.

As it took me, I screamed.

_In the abyss of my mind, I was a prisoner. A thousand people surrounded me but none of them could hear me scream to them._

"_None of them can hear you." A child like voice from beside me said. "It's okay, Lariska. I'll protect you."_

_I looked at the boy next to me. "Vergil? What are you doing in here? It's me Alex?"_

"_Who is Alex?"_

_My surroundings changed. I was back in the gym at STIGMA. Vergil had me pinned against the wall._

"_All you are is a burden to me." And he closed in for the kill. My last thoughts were of the only person I knew might be able to hear me._

"_Micah, help me." I yelled as I disappeared into the darkness. Then I was no more._

**Author's note: The next chapter will be a little bit different than the previous ones. You'll see when it gets posted.**

**Thanks for everyone's comments and reviews. Please keep them coming.**

**Next chapter: Thicker Than Water.**


	7. Thicker Than Water

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 7: Thicker Than Water**

"ALEX!'

Screams from the sleeping seer in my arms jolted me out of dreams about talking cheese which was telling me about the end of the world.

"Micah," I shook her gently. "Micah, wake up."

She opened her eyes and buried her head in my shoulder. "Adrian, it's your sister. Something is very _very_ wrong. You need to get to her now!"

I opened my mouth to reply when my phone started ringing.

"McCann here."

"Adrian, its Dante. You need to get out to my place now. Your sister is losing her mind!"

"What? Dante, slow down. What do you mean 'losing her mind'? She's always been crazy." I replied dismissively.

"Her mind is breaking apart. I need you to find my brother and bring him with you NOW!" He then abruptly hung up.

"What the hell?" I muttered, glancing at the time. It was just after 5 am. "And why do I need to find Vergil?" I looked down at Micah.

"I have to go."

She snuggled in closer. "I know."

"I don't want to." I kissed her softly and breathed in her scent.

This was not what I wanted to be doing. I didn't want to drive for about four or five hours to see my sister. I wanted to stay with my girlfriend and sleep. But duty called so I dressed, grabbed my shotgun and went to find Vergil.

I knew Vergil had been given a room here at STIGMA but whether he actually used it or not was another question. Anytime I had been in the library he'd always seemed to be in there either working or reading. I had started to wonder if he actually slept at all. Did Devils need to sleep?

The answer was probably no as I found him in his office. But he wasn't working and he was certainly not reading. Instead Vergil was just sitting there, seemingly staring at the wall. He didn't appear to even notice me there.

"Vergil, you awake over there?"

He turned to look at me. "Yes Adrian, what can I do for you?"

"Your brother just called. It's my sister. There's something wrong with her. Dante said she was going crazy and that I should find you and bring you with me."

That normally stoic face changed to an expression of the deepest concern in an instant. "Where is she?"

"At Devil May Cry."

"Those fools!" He snapped. "Dante should never have taken her from my sight! Not now!"

Something suddenly clicked. "Did you do something to her?"

Vergil was silent and he refused to meet my gaze. I became suspicious. "What did you do to her?"

"We have to go now!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the library and outside onto the terrace.

"Vergil, what the hell's going on?"

"There's no time to explain. Just hold on!"

He grabbed my arms from behind. The ground disappeared from beneath my feet and the air rushed by my head as we ascended into the sky.

"Vergil, what's so important that we couldn't have just driven out there?"

"Her mind will fracture beyond the point of repair within days if I don't get to her. The longer we wait the worse it will be. Taking her from me was the worst thing they could have done."

"I don't understand. What happened to her?"

"It's far too complicated to explain right now."

"Try me."

"Your sister is undergoing a transformation of sorts. Once I marked her, Alex's mind began to bond to mine. Putting a large distance between us at a time like this could be fatal for her."

"You marked her? What kind of mark?"

He was silent once more.

"Vergil I swear to god if she dies I will hunt you down and kill you very slowly."

"I most likely wouldn't survive her death so it would be moot point, Adrian."

I was silent. My mind wandered to the first time I had met him, the time I nearly lost the only family I had left.

"_Okay, take it easy." Dante picked me up easily. My leg was broken and I could barely sit up because of my ribs._

"_Where's Alex?"_

"_Do you want the long version or the short version?"_

"_The short."_

"_My brother tried to kill a demon and she got in the way and now she's dying."_

"_WHAT?"_

"_Cool off. I'll take you to her."_

_When we got to a house that belonged to healer named Teisha, I almost injured myself further after being greeted by the sight of blood on the doorway at the entrance to the house._

"_Where is she?" I demanded._

_Dante helped me into Teisha's healing room. My sister was laying on a bed, bleeding. Her shirt had been ripped open and her skin was ashen._

"_ALEX!" I looked at Vergil, accusingly. "You did this to MY sister?"_

_Instead of answering, he coughed up a large quantity of blood and collapsed on the floor._

"_Well, this is certainly getting interesting." Dante commented. "Teisha, will she live."_

_I looked to where my sister was lying. The healer was wiping away the blood. The wound was no longer bleeding. Colour was slowly returning to her face._

"_She will but just barely. It will be a few days before she regains consciousness. As for your brother, I'm not entirely sure."_

My sister was once again at death's door and like last time it was Vergil's fault. I couldn't put my finger on it but for some reason I knew that she loved him. She loved this bastard who had only ever caused her pain. It was beyond all comprehension.

"Do you love her?" I had to know.

He didn't answer. Always a good sign.

"She loves you. I have no idea why she would ever choose a sick son of a bitch like you but she has."

"We're here." He finally said

As we descended the familiar red letters of Devil May Cry's entrance came into view. I felt some relief knowing that I could see my sister but only some.

Vergil dropped me on the ground rather rudely and kicked the doors open.

"Where is she?" He demanded. As I ran inside Dante was sitting on the couch.

"Alex is upstairs. Trish is looking after her."

Vergil practically flew up the stairs faster than my human eyes could see. I looked and Dante and shrugged; then I followed him upstairs.

Thankfully this time my sister wasn't bleeding to death and her skin wasn't whiter than a corpse's. However she was unconscious and writhing about as if having a nightmare.

Once again I felt responsible. I was the oldest out of the two of us. Her safety had always been my first priority and I had failed her yet again. Worst of all I had failed the only memory I had of my father.

_Protect her, always_.

I had no memory of what he or my mother looked like. But those three words had always stayed with me. Those three words filled me with guilt and shame knowing that I had not done my duty to protect my family.

"Father, I'm sorry." I whispered as I took a seat next to Alex. I looked at Trish.

"How long has she been like this?"

Trish shook her head. "I'm not sure. A few hours maybe."

I watched as Vergil stroked her hair and whispered something I could not hear. Fierce anger rose in my chest.

"Haven't you done enough to hurt her?" I asked coldly.

Vergil shot a glare so cold it could have frozen a volcano. "If Dante hadn't removed Alex from my sight she wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"And if you had kept your fangs away from her in the first place I wouldn't have had to remove her!" Dante stood up. "This is pointless. Adrian, yes my brother in his wisdom, put Alex in this mess. Unfortunately he's the only one who can get her out of it."

I looked down at Alex. She whimpered in her sleep. I had seen her jump headfirst into fights with vampires, demons and all manner of filth. To see her so helpless, so beyond my reach scared me. If I wanted her to live I had to swallow my pride and let Vergil reach her.

I looked at him. "Do it. Save my sister."

**Author's note: Thanks for everyone's comments. Keep them coming.**

**Next Chapter: This is Not a Dream.**


	8. This Is Not A Dream

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 8: This is not a dream.**

"_If you could go anywhere, where would you wanna go? Somewhere you know really well or somewhere you've never been before?"_

_Strands of silk embrace me and pull me into the abyss. A voice calls me further and further in._

"_If you could go anywhere, where would you go?"_

"_Who asks?" I dare speak. I can see the visible echoes of my voice reflect on glass walls around me._

"_I do." A child's voice replies loudly. Lariska swung on a rope from a tree that appeared out of nowhere. Her curls as always were tied back in pigtails. The ribbons matched her white dress. She jumped down and ran to me. I noticed I now sat in a gazebo overlooking the Sparda home._

"_You didn't say your name last time. Are you a stranger here?"_

_I was a stranger in my own mindscape. I knew this place from the first time I had met the sons of Sparda. Yet it was alien to me. It was as if I had never been there at all._

"_I'm still not sure."_

"_Everyone should know their own name." She took a seat next to me. "Vergil says my name is really pretty." She blushed. Did she care for him?_

"_It is a very pretty name." I said. She seemed so familiar and so alien all at once. The stirrings of something long buried called to me and a rush of thoughts and feelings hit me all at once._

"_Do you know Vergil?" She asked, interrupting my train of thought._

"_Yes."_

"_When I grow up, we're going to get married."_

_I smiled sadly. So young, so naïve. She would never know what kind of monster he truly was._

"_What about Dante?"_

_Lariska giggled. "He smells funny. I can't marry a boy who smells funny. Vergil always smells nice."_

_I blushed at the memory of the first time I had been close to him. We were flying through a dusk lit sky to STIGMA. I had breathed in his scent as I fell asleep with him holding me close._

_That scent permeated every fibre of my being as the gazebo faded out of view and the darkness took me once more. I stopped fighting my fate and relaxed as my strength left me and a familiar voice called in the black._

"_Please don't let me be too late to save you."_

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It had been an hour since Vergil had kicked us all out of Alex's room. I was sitting downstairs with Dante and Trish with a mug of black coffee in my hands. I had never been able to stomach milk in my coffee. It seemed like it diluted the purity of the taste. I sipped it slowly and looked out the window. It was still dark outside. Snow was starting to fall.

"How much longer do you think he'll be?" I asked nobody in particular. Dante only shrugged and said nothing.

"He has to be careful." Trish said quietly. "Any wrong move will destroy her mind completely. She would shut down and cease to exist."

"You seem to know a lot about this." I replied wryly.

"There aren't many cases of devils mating with humans. Tragedy has befallen many of those families because the minds of the mated human would collapse under the pressure of the mark. Your sister is a fighter but she's only human."

"Why would Vergil have done this to her?" I demanded. "If there was that amount of risk surrounding this then what was his reason?"

"If the ritual is successful then she'll become even stronger." Dante replied. "She's been able to borrow some of his abilities. If she survives she has the potential to become nearly unstoppable."

I heard a door open and footsteps come from upstairs. "Adrian, she's waking up."

I put the coffee down and dashed upstairs. Sure enough she was opening her eyes. I sighed with relief and sat at her side.

"Adrian," She sat up and clung to me. "Adrian, I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again. I was so lost." She buried her head in my chest. I stroked her head.

"I will never let anything happen to you ever again." I looked over to Vergil. But I was shocked at what I saw. An expression of guilt and sorrow adorned that usually emotionless face.

"Alex," Trish had a glass of a purple concoction. "This will help you sleep."

"No." She was crying. "I don't want to sleep. I'll just have nightmares like I always do."

"It's an old recipe for dreamless sleep." Trish pressed it into her hands. "You won't be seeing anything for a good eight hours."

Alex gingerly drank it down. She was out a few seconds later. I took the glass and lay her down on the pillow then pulled the covers up over her shoulders. Trish and Dante left the room. Vergil turned to leave. I shook my head and took pity on him.

"Hey did you want to stay with her?" I offered. "I need to get some sleep myself and someone should probably keep watch.

He walked back to her side and sat on one side of the bed. "I'll watch over her.. No harm will come to her while she rests.

I nodded. "Good. I'll be downstairs on the couch if you need me."

With that that I shut the door behind me. Then it opened again.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure."

Vergil followed me downstairs. I sat down. He didn't.

"I know that she will never forgive me what I have done to her. But you need to understand that it needed to be done. I will face her mistrust, her suspicions and her anger willingly if I know I can protect her."

I frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? I thought she was bound to you and that she would live as long you did."

"And I live as long as she does. You may want to get comfortable. This will take a long time."

"What will take a long time?"

"The truth?"

"About what?"

"About everything."

**Author's note: That piece of weird dialogue at the start is actually from a song by Apollo Four Forty & Morphine which shares the same name as this chapter. Very inspiring piece of music.**

**Thanks for everyone's comments. Keep them coming.**

**Next Chapter: Breaking The Shell.**


	9. Breaking The Shell

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 9: Breaking The Shell**

_I was cradled by warm hands, shielded by loving arms and cocooned in peace. A familiar masculine scent filled my nostrils. My head lay cradled against a strong chest._

"_Stay with me, Lariska. I can't lose you again."_

_The world shatters around me but I have no fear. I am safe and protected. The shell finally breaks and I am free once more._

My eyes flicked open. Mid afternoon sun streamed through the window I sat up and stretched then frowned. That was a dream I just had. According to Trish, I wasn't supposed to dream at all. Or maybe that whole conversation had just been one big hallucination in the midst of my delirium.

I went to the bathroom to change. As I stared in the mirror I waited for the dragon to appear and to devour me. Nothing happened. I sighed with relief and proceeded to wash my face. After that I started to apply some make up.

As I got to my eyes I stopped dead in my tracks. Traces of ice blue had crept their way into my green orbs.

"What…the…fuck?"

I slowly backed away from the mirror and began to run downstairs.

"DANTE!"

I flew down the staircase and into the kitchen expecting to find the demon hunter with a beer or tomato juice in his hands. Instead the kitchen was empty.

"He's not here." I stopped dead in my tracks. That voice, I had heard it in my dreams this morning. I turned around to face him. There he was; my beautiful nightmare. I backed into the cupboard against the sink.

"Stay away from me, Vergil." My voice trembled.

"Please let me explain." He stood only five metres away from me. So near, yet so far. Unexplained feelings of love and justified fear and hate fused inside me.

"No!" I snapped. "All you have ever done is hurt me! I just want all of this to stop. It's bad enough that you violate me but you reject me as well. Then I have to put up with seeing _your_ memories of some dead girl you loved inside my head when I don't even know who I am!"

Vergil backed away. "They're not my memories."

"Then whose are they?"

"Yours."

My knees collapsed beneath me. "What the hell? You mean I'm that little girl? I'm Lariska?"

"This may be a little difficult to believe but it's true. Your real name is Lariska."

A pale hand took mine and helped me up. "You didn't know because I was forbidden to tell you. You never wondered why I was so cold to you. Why I never approached you if I didn't have to?"

"Because you're an asshole?"

He glared slightly. "Imagine seeing the one person you love deeply not remember anything about you or the childhood that you shared together. I've had to live with that since I was thirteen."

"What happened to me?" I stopped for a second and then it clicked. "Wait…you love me?"

Once again we were face to face. But his gaze was no longer as cold as winter. There was some trace of humanity in those eyes; there was concern, sorrow and something else I couldn't quite place. Was it love?

"I don't understand you Vergil."

I was rewarded with the smallest of smiles; a rare treat from him. "I've heard that before."

"Does this have anything to do with my parents' murder?"

"It has everything and anything to do with it. But it would be easier to show you than tell you." He lowered my hand. "Get dressed."

"Where are we going?"

"My home."

**Author's Note: A lot of angst music inducing went into writing this. I would suggest Frozen by Within Temptation, Decode by Paramore (yes I know it was written for Twilight, don't flame me) and Shame by Stabbing Westward. Frozen sounds like it was written for Vergil.**

**Thanks for everyone's comments. Keep them coming.**

**Next Chapter: Memory.**


	10. Memory

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 10: Memory**

The afternoon wind rushed past my head, making strands of hair tickle my face. The air was layered with frost but I could barely feel the cold. Not with his embrace sheltering me from the elements as we flew through the sky.

Did I trust him again? I wasn't sure. I knew that I still loved him. That would never change. But everything depended on what he would show me. I hadn't yet come to terms with the extreme possibility that I wasn't who I thought I was either.

"Alex," Vergil's voice interrupting my thoughts. "We have to stop here for a few minutes."

I looked down as we descended to land.

"Teisha's house. Why are here?"

"You'll see." He knocked on the door. Three minutes or so passed before the door opened.

"Yes, Vergil. How can I help you?" Her thickly accented voice was calm and gentle."

His eyes were focused and almost steel like. "You know what I came here for."

Teisha's brown eyes darted to me. They were filled with concern. She sighed. "Your father warned me one day you would come here for it. But are you sure you are ready? Are you sure that she is ready?"

He nodded silently. "Yes."

"Just a moment." She disappeared back inside her house. She appeared shortly after with a small wooden box and pressed into Vergil's hands.

"Just promise me that whatever happens from now that you two will be careful."

"We will." I answered. "Goodbye Teisha."

She embraced me. "Goodbye little one."

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The Sparda home was slightly different than from how I remembered it. The outside had been repainted and the fencing had been replaced. However the windows were still boarded and up and no effort had made to restore the front garden.

"Did you or Dante fix this place?" I asked as we entered the house.

"We both did."

"Oh."

Vergil took my hand and led me outside to the back yard. It was still the same as last time; dead grass covered the hill. Those old oak trees still stood tall and proud. We sat high up on the hill.

Vergil opened the wooden box. Inside was a blue crystal the size of my hand.

"This crystal holds the memories of this house. It was sealed by my father's blood so the memories wouldn't fade." Claws extended from his left hand which he used to cut open his finger. As the blood dripped onto the crystal it started to glow.

"This memory is my own. I wouldn't let Father destroy this one."

"_Dante, come and play." Lawrence ran up the hill, laughing as he ran. "Or are you chicken?"_

"_I'm no chicken!" A ten year old Dante very quickly caught up with him._

"_Lawrence, wait for me." Lariska followed in her brown dress and boots as quickly as she could."_

"_Go back inside, Riska." Dante teased her. "Girls aren't allowed to play on the hill. OW!" Vergil had smacked him over the head._

"_She can play with us."_

"_Who says?"_

"_I do. I'm the oldest."_

_The children ran off up to the trees. I turned to look down the hill and was suddenly sitting next to four adults._

"_You have my thanks for completing this assignment, Danny." A man who I recognised as the dark night Sparda spoke. It was mid afternoon. The sun was still high in the sky. Eva sat by his side facing a man with dark hair and green eyes. He sat with a woman that I recognised as my mother. "Still I fear I have now placed you and Helena in danger."_

_Danny shook his head. "We don't fear for our lives, Sparda. More for the lives of our twins. Krases is more likely to send his minions after them then us."_

"_Then we will find a way to ensure their safety." Eva said. "We should be able to come up with something if we put our heads together._

"_Do you still have any contacts in the underworld, Sparda?" Helena asked. "Anyone who would be willing to offer protection?"_

"_That's not a bad idea, Helena." Sparda replied. "However, something tells me that protecting your children may require more than a physical presence."_

"_MOM!" Dante ran to Eva. "Vergil tried to stab me again with his sword."_

"_I did not." Vergil protested. "Dante was being mean to Riska."_

"_Go inside you two." Eva commanded. "I'll deal with you later."_

"_But Mom!" The two protested._

"_Inside boys." Sparda's voice clearly meant business._

"_Yes Father." The twin voices chorused._

"_I swear if those two weren't half demon they would have killed each other already." Sparda muttered half frustrated. His eyes grew wide. "Eva, that's it. Those two are the key to protecting the children."_

"_Sparda, what nonsense are you talking now?" Danny asked. "How are your demon spawn, no offense, the key to protecting my children?"_

The memory left and we were once again back in the real world.

"So that's why." I said softly. "That's why I'm linked to you. That's how you were able to come back, Vergil." I turned to him. "But how did I not die when you did before?"

He shrugged. "Nelo Angelo and my body died. I don't think I actually crossed over. Come on. We should go."

The crystal glowed again.

"Wait." I said softly. "I think there's more."

"_Riska, come down from there." Lawrence shouted at his sister who sat high up in a tree next to Vergil. She was dressed in green._

"_Oh pipe down Larry." She started walking along the branch. "Vergil won't let me fall."_

"_Vergil loves Riska!" Dante sang._

"_You wanna come up here and say that to my face?" Vergil threatened and jumped to his feet. As he did the branch shook. Lariska lost her balance. She grabbed the branch as she fell but sharp twigs cut into the pale milk white flesh of her tiny wrist._

_Dante jumped and caught her. Blood was flowing from the wound on her wrist. Vergil jumped down after her._

"_Dante, go get mom. I'll stay with her."_

_Lariska was crying as Lawrence and Dante ran down the hill. "Vergil, it hurts, it hurts." Vergil leant in and kissed her cheek._

_Do you feel better? Mom always does that for Dante when he scrapes his knee."_

_Lariska smiled through her tears. "No but that felt nice."_

_He picked her up. "Come on. I'll protect you." She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck._

As the memory faded I looked at my wrist. The scar was filled with pain. A cool hand reached and fingered the scar and the pain faded.

"It's just a memory, Lariska. Nothing more."

But the memory continued on.

"_No, I won't forget her!" Vergil snapped at his parents inside the warm living room. He stamped his feet on the carpet in front of the fire._

"_Do you want her to die?" Eva pleaded with her son. "God he's so stubborn." She looked accusingly at Sparda. "I wonder where he gets that from."_

"_Eva, why don't we look at this differently?" Sparda knelt down to his son's height. "Vergil, I have a very important mission for you. I won't try to take away your memories but you are now charged with protecting Lariska."_

"_What do you want me to do father?"_

"_You are to tell everybody who asks that Lariska and Lawrence died with their mother. You will deny that she is still alive. In return I will watch over the twins and make sure nothing ever happens to them. If you two have contact then it will undo the block on her memories and she could be in danger. Do you agree to this?"_

_Vergil nodded. "You can count on me father. I won't let you down."_

"_Good. Now go to bed."_

"_Stubborn child." Eva muttered as her son ran off. "At least we could blur Dante's memories. Does he really care about her so much?"_

"_It would appear so."_

"I spent months in that library looking for a way to protect you." Vergil said in a hushed voice taking me into his embrace. "I knew that once I was back in your life you would eventually regain your memories so I had to distance myself so that I wouldn't make it worse until I could find a solution. Marking you was the only way I could make you stronger." He paused. "I love you, Lariska and if you can't forgive me then I-."

"Would you please just shut up and hold me?" I whispered, fighting back tears. "I don't want waste any more time regretting what we could have had a year ago if it wasn't for this. Just be with me because I love you, Vergil. If even if you are a complete jackass at times."

I felt him laugh softly as I buried my head in his shoulder. This moment seemed to stretch onto forever as I relaxed and wrapped my arms around his waist. I never wanted this moment to end. It seemed like it wouldn't until my phone started buzzing in the pocket of my pants.

"McCann here."

"Alex," A very familiar voice spoke at me. "This is Mr Giovanni speaking. Where are you?"

"Segovia, sir."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Sir, are you there?"

"Yes Alex. I need you to come with me to the vampire council chambers. The coordinates will be sent via the screen on your headset. It is far too dangerous to disclose them over the phone."

"Yes sir but wouldn't it be more appropriate for a more senior agent like Agent Detrius to attend?"

"I've sent Carmen and a team of vampire hunters to the murder site in Canada. It appears our investigation has uncovered something far more shocking than we originally thought." He paused. "We believe that an old vampire warlord may have been buried there and someone is trying to or may have already resurrected him. We need to see Vakos and her cohorts immediately."

"Yes sir. I'll meet you there asap!"

I hung and placed my headset on. Sure enough the coordinates started flowing through. "Jesus, this place is only 2 miles from STIGMA. Why the hell would Mr Giovanni choose to build our headquarters there?"

"We should go quickly." Vergil looked worried. "Yes I heard everything. Come on!"

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The address Vergil and I were given was for an old derelict building. Mr Giovanni was waiting for us out the front.

"Sir." I greeted him. "Is this really the vampire council chambers?"

He didn't answer. Instead he stared at Vergil. "Interesting choice of companions, Alex. May I ask why he is here and what you were doing in Segovia?"

"It's kind of a long story sir."

"It will have to wait. Vakos is expecting us. Come now, both of you." He turned and went through the entrance into the building."

Vergil and I exchanged glances and just shrugged. Then we both followed him inside. Nikolai stood waiting for us at the front desk which didn't appear to be as shambling as the building's exterior.

"Good to see you again, Mr Giovanni." He greeted us. "Alex, it is a pleasure also. Vakos is expecting you. This way." We followed him into an elevator behind the desk.

I looked at the buttons. They only went to the basement levels. Nikolai looked to me and grinned like a shark at its prey.

"Vampires never have rooms above ground unless absolutely necessary."

"Oh."

"Ah here we are!" The doors opened. "We'll be passing through the catacombs on our way to the main meeting hall."

"Catacombs?" I looked at the sleek black walls. There were big white doors every five metres or so. "This place looks like an apartment block."

"It used to be catacombs many centuries ago. Mistress Vakos, like many of the elders used to sleep in coffins here. But some of our younger vampires wished for the conveniences of modern life so the catacombs were demolished and living spaces were built in its place. However old habits die hard. The elders will never change the name of this place. Some things like the past are too hard to let go of. Especially for oldest and the strongest among them."

"I see."

After of what felt like hundreds of metres of walking we reached the main meeting hall. The doors were more like two gates made out of hundreds of intertwining vines and branches comprised of wood..

Nikolai drew a small knife out of his jacket pocket and slit open his right index finger. He allowed drops of blood to fall onto the wood. The wood hissed and the gates opened.

"Only those bound to the council may open these gates." He explained. We followed him inside.

The vampire council comprised of twelve members. Each sat on their chairs high on platforms. Vakos sat to the left. The council was equally divided into men and women.

"Mr Giovanni," Vakos stood. "Welcome to the council. You honour us with your presence. As do you Agent McCann and Vergil, son of Sparda."

"I thank you for your warm welcome, Vakos." Mr Giovanni's voice carried and bounced off the walls around us. "However STIGMA's investigations in Canada have turned up something most troubling. It has come to my attention that the tyrant Krases was buried in Canada and that someone has tried to dig him up!"

"Impossible!" One council member stood to his feet. "The seals we imprisoned him with could not have been broken by vampire hands. Even so. It would take over two years for the seals to lose their effect once removed."

"Calm down, Xerxes." Vakos instructed. "Giovanni, do you have proof of this?"

"Yes I do. A medallion that was found on the corpse of STIGMA's traitor, the seer Yvanna. It was the same found at a dig site in the village where your prisoner was buried. All that was required was the blood of ten virgins to revive him." He threw a medallion to the ground. I gasped. It was the same shape as the symbol in the coffin.

"Yvanna did this?" I whispered. "Jesus, was that who she working for?"

"It is my understanding that Krases could communicate telepathically while sleeping. It is no surprise that he could have amassed followers while imprisoned." Mr Giovanni paced the floor. "We must stop find Krases and stop him before he does whatever it is he is planning to do."

"I think not my old friend." A voice echoed in the darkness behind us. A gasp went through the chambers. I dared to turn around. A man stood there cloaked in black. Long golden hair framed a sharply angled faced. Blue eyes blazed with anger and hate. The vampire Claudio and his men stood by his side.

"Krases." Mr Giovanni hissed. Vergil moved in front of me and gripped my hand tightly.

"Didn't expect to see me again did you?." Krases started walking towards Giovanni. "After you conspired with that whore and her brethren to betray me.

"You would see the balance broken and chaos unleashed on this world, Krases. What did you expect to happen? That we would let you run amok and do as you please?" Mr Giovanni snarled at him.

Krases moved closer and closer to him and ripped off his hood. I breathed sharply. That face. I knew that face. And finally the voice. It all fell into place. My knees threatened to give way beneath me.

"Well at least time hasn't done anything to your looks, unlike your mind. Wouldn't you agree Lord Sparda?" Krases grinned malevolently, fangs gleaming.

**Author's note: My god this took so long to write. I knew this chapter had to be written just right. I rewrote so many sections over and over again.**

**Music for listening: I found Vaka or Untitled 1 as it's also called by Sigur Ros the perfect love theme for the first half of the chapter. For some reason it just seemed to work. For the latter half, a track called Zelem off the Broken Saints Soundtrack. Tobias Tinker is a genius!**

**Thanks for everyone's comments and reviews. Please keep them up.**

**Next Chapter: My Father's Sins.**


	11. My Father's Sins

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 11: My Father's Sins.**

"Lord Sparda." Those words echo over and over again in my head. My heart pounds heavily with anger, confusion and hate; hate for the man that is my father. Hate for the sorrow I once had for believing he was dead. Hate for making him the centre of my entire world while this man had abandoned my mother.

"Vergil, you're crushing my hand." Lariska's voice is no more than a whisper. She has grown pale from shock. I release her hand and shoot her an apologetic glance. She nods at me.

"Oh so you didn't know your father was still alive did you?" Krases taunts me. "Sparda, have you been lying to your family this entire time? Not very surprising considering what you did to me."

"Leave my family out of this, Krases." The liar growls. "My son and my agent have nothing to do with this."

"It doesn't matter if they do or not." Krases started circling us. I look to the vampires. Some of them seem to be paralysed by shock, others are seething with rage and some look on approvingly.

"Once _you_ destroyed my power base and my supporters. Then you subvert the power of those who walk the night by forming that filthy treaty!" The newly resurrected vampire is visibly angry. "No vampire can feed off humans without a human's permission. We are to sustain ourselves on disgusting animals!" He pauses.

"No more! No more will we limit our greatness and bow to human will! My brothers and sisters of the council; unite with me once more and we will destroy Sparda and his _humans_!"

"No one in this room will support you, Krases!" Vakos snaps. She turns her gaze to the other council members. "Any who do will be put to death by sunlight immediately!"

Krases merely laughs quietly but his laugh is reflected off the walls of the chamber. "Oh so you don't think I have any real power here do you Vakos? Allow me to demonstrate the extent of your misjudgement. Julius, Marco, Elisabetta. You once stood with me and paved the way for my rebirth. Come stand with me again. Have your underlings take these fools away."

"Yes my lord." One male vampire announces proudly. "I Julius will give you my support once more. My men are already on their way."

"As are mine." A female Italian vampire proclaims. "I Elisabetta renounce the vampire council and join our true leader."

"You have my support!" A third vampire who I guess to be Marco joins them.

"Enough of this!" A female screams. "Sparda, my name is Maria. I will not be joining either side but this has to be sorted properly. The treaty still stands. Myself, Paulo and Verona will remain neutral in this conflict. However you and your people will be placed into our custody for protection. You too Vakos. You have been far too close to this matter for you to remain neutral."

"WHAT?" Vakos screams. "You dare arrest me?"

But it is too late as about twenty vampires barge into the chambers. I want to use my devil trigger. If Lariska hadn't been there I wouldn't' have been worried about fighting. Instead all I can do is watch while we are escorted out of the chambers and into devil knows where.

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We were escorted further underground and locked inside holding cages where newly created vampires were usually locked until they could control their urges or so Maria told us.

The vampires had taken Lariska from me. I had no idea where she was or if she was with Vakos. That idea worried me even more than if she had been imprisoned by herself.

"How much does she know, Vergil?" My father's voice penetrated the silence. "How much of her past does she remember?"

"Enough." I replied without looking at him.

"And I see you have marked her." Footsteps approached me. "Tell me what exactly was going through your head when you decided to put her through such an ordeal?"

My blood boiled. I surrendered to the rage and let my body change shape. I lunged at him and growled. "Back off old man. Things have become far more complicated than you had ever anticipated. By the time I realised who she was, she had started to remember. So yeah I took a measure to make sure Lariska could handle herself in a fight when it came time for her to know the truth about who she is. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out."

"I suppose I deserve your anger."

"Oh _you_ suppose!" My hands were around his neck. "Do you have any idea what you put us through? My mother! Dante! Our family was ripped apart because you left us! And I will NEVER forgive you for that!"

I let him go and watched as he crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. He began to laugh.

"Tell me father. What is so amusing?"

"I am glad to see you have not lost your strength. You truly are my son." He stood to his feet. "You have to understand I never meant to leave any of you behind."

"You think I want to hear your story?"

Sparda got to his feet. "You have something better to do? Some pressing engagement? Sit down, boy."

I glared at him. "Fine. I'll hear you out."

"I did leave to fight Mundus. That part is true. However I was tricked, beaten down and reduced to a plaything for the amusement of the underworld. Mundus forced me to watch as his servants murdered Eva. That broke me and my will to fight."

"What then? How did you escape and return to STIGMA?"

"One of my agents broke into the underworld and was able to bring me back. That agent was one of the few who knew my true identity. To everyone else I was Mr Giovanni, the reclusive billionaire. The fact that I had disappeared was not widely circulated except to those within the inner circle of STIGMA. That included Carmen Detrius, Daniel Clarke and the seer Gabriella who passed away eighteen years ago. You may have met her daughter, Micah."

"Why didn't you try to find myself or Dante?"

"I was ashamed. I had failed Eva and my sons. I didn't feel I could face either of you and look you in the eyes."

"I see." I sank to the ground, my anger slowly dissipating. "I'm not sure I forgive you but I think I do understand."

"And you my son. I have my own question for you. You tried to destroy this world once. Now you have become part of the struggle to protect it? Why? What is it you fight for?"

_Vergil. Can you hear me?_

My jerked upwards. "Father, can you hear that?"

Sparda frowned. "Hear what?"

_Vergil, please tell me you can hear me?_

_Lariska, I can hear you. Where are you?_

_I'm not sure. I'm with Vakos. We're in a prison with solid silver bars. Vakos isn't able to touch them to break them open. She said that her strength wouldn't be enough anyway._

_Mine wouldn't be either. Don't do anything rash, Lariska, We'll find a way out of here. Is there anything in there you can use to pry them open._

_No but…_She went silent.

_Talk to me, Lariska. What's wrong?_

_Nothing's wrong Vergil. Something is very very right. I have an idea!_

**Author's Note: Woo hoo! Chapter 11 is done and dusted!**

**Thanks Ikara for that awesome review and for picking up on the fact that some much needed editing had to be done. What would I do without you guys!**

**The next chapter may not be out for a few weeks due to college work that needs to be done. But I will try to fit some writing in here and there. Who knows? The end of the story isn't that far off either. That's all I can say.**

**Next Chapter: Passage.**


	12. Passage

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 12: Passage**

"OW! MY FUCKING HAND!"

_Calm down, Lariska. You can heal the damage._

The pain subsided as my shattered right hand repaired itself from the inside out.

_Now let's try again_. I grimaced.

_I don't think so Vergil. I've already broken my hand about five times already. Mastering your healing ability was hard enough. I don't think I'm going to be able to channel your strength._

"You must try again, Alex." Vakos said with a strange air of serenity. "Unless you can become as strong as a devil or a vampire we are not getting out of here."

"We've been at this for five hours. Picking up healing was a fluke. I don't think I'll be punching you into a wall or helping you to break the bars of the prison we're in anytime soon."

"Then we will try the exercise again until we succeed. And we will succeed. I will not leave my Niki in the hands of that monster Krases!"

I frowned. There was something in her eyes when she had mentioned Nikolai. It was something very familiar to me.

"You love him, don't you?"

She sat on the floor, eyes faraway. "He has asked me so many times to change him, to make him one of us. But he is so young, so full of life. It would break me to take that away from him."

"He wants to be with you for eternity and you won't give him that?"

Vakos' glare was colder than the arctic. "Do not make judgements on something you could not possibly understand. To be one of us is to be damned! And that is not worth the price of eternal life. Most of us did not have a choice in the matter!"

"I'm sorry. I guess I don't understand what it means to be immortal."

"You will soon enough. It is most likely that your connection with Sparda's son may lengthen your life span significantly or even make you ageless."

I sat stunned; her words repeating themselves over and over again in my head.

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's continue on. Close your eyes."

_Vergil, we're starting again._

_I'll be waiting for you on the other side of the passage way._

_The passage way was the link that we shared. My mind drifts to him as I walk down the dark passage. Voices scream at me to stop. They scream that he will be my end and that I should turn back._

_But so what? So what if he's a monster? He is mine and that is all that matters. And he will be mine for all eternity._

'_I love you, Lariska.'_

_His words echoing endlessly inside my brain. Pictures of us together form around those word.s He becomes my strength and suddenly I see the answer so clearly. Trying to borrow his strength was not the way._

'_Take my hand, Vergil. I will bear this burden for the both of us. Give me the devil inside and help me to destroy these bars.'_

_Blue flames consume me. They harden and become scales. I am the dragon from my dreams._

'_Lariska, NO! Don't let it swallow you!'_

"Alex, wake up!" Vakos has a sound of panic in her voice which sounds strange on her.

My hands still appeared human but they felt different. I placed them on the bars.

"I am the dragon." I whispered.

"Your skin, it is like a lizard's." Vakos took a step back from me. "You glow like a sapphire."

Blue flames engulfed the bars and they start to melt away. The silver that could repel the vampires touch was no match for the hellfire of a devil.

I looked at my arms and hands once more. The scales were now a reality.

"Come on, Vakos. I need to find him."

I stalked the hallways feeling the power inside screaming to be used. I had no idea where I was going but I could feel him. I could feel his love, his concern and his fury. I focused on him and let those feelings create a trail that lead me right to him.

Raised voices from the end of a hallway come closer towards us.

"Alex, get behind me. I will deal with these lowly cretins."

Her words meant nothing to me. I walked forward, completely unarmed.

"Here kitty…kitty…kitty." My nails extend into claws. I let all conscious thought go and my (his) instincts take over.

"They're escaping. Alert Krases at once!" A guard shouts. The next few minutes become a blur as I watch my hands move in front of my face and claws slash into the guard's neck. Thick red blood bursts and lands all over my face My right leg launches itself into his chest and he goes flying backwards.

"Damn! The other guard's escaped."

"Let him go, Alex." Vakos seems strangely on edge. "Can you find Vergil and Lord Sparda?"

I regained my concentration and the trail appeared to me once more. "This way."

Eventually the trail led to a solitary cell on the other side of the 'prison block' where I found my silver haired boyfriend and his father.

"Lariska!" He reaches for me through the bars. Flames surround us and the barrier between us dissolves. His warmth surrounds me as my strength leaves and my knees collapse beneath me.

"I told you. Don't let it swallow you.

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"Damn, that girl can sleep." I recognise Dante's voice as I open my eyes.

"You're telling me." Adrian or Lawrence rather is sitting in a chair across from where I'm lying. "It's been nearly a day since you brought her back here."

"Larry," I whisper weakly. Lawrence turns his head to look at me as if surprised.

"Lariska."

"Did Vergil tell you that?"

"He told me enough." Lawrence stroked my head. "But I've been remembering things. Not much but it's a start."

"Have you told Micah yet?" I sat up and looked around. I was back at Devil May Cry and lying on the couch on the ground floor. "And where's Vergil?"

"He's on patrol, making sure no vamps are coming to get his little princess." Dante said wryly. "Once he's back we all need to have a nice little conversation about just what in the hell is happening to you."

"And about the impending war that is about to happen." An annoyed Russian accent echoed from the direction of the kitchen. Vakos and Nikolai sat closely together at the table. Trish was drying some dishes.

"Krases will not give up his power. He will eliminate his enemies one by one and that includes all of us." Vakos fiddled with the lace on her white blouse. "Xerxes, Vexille and Erykah will ally with me but their forces will not be enough. You must convince Sparda to fight. If he fights then surely the rest of STIGMA will fall in behind him."

"And could your vampires resist the taste of human blood in amongst the carnage." Sparda emerged from the front door, Vergil was behind him. They both looked dirty as if they had been fighting. "An alliance would be almost impossible between our species."

"Your species?" Vakos laughed. "You are far from human, Sparda. And your agent is becoming less so by the minute."

I looked to Dante and Trish. Dante was refusing to look at his father. Trish placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Who did we have against us besides Krases?" I asked.

"Elisabetta, Julius, Marco, Vladamir and Jean- Paul. So far we are outnumbered which is where STIGMA comes in." Nikolai replied sipping from his mug. "Maria, Paulo & Verona are remaining neutral in the hopes that they can negotiate peace but they are fools. It is doubtful that Krases wants peace."

"Sparda, we need to get back to STIGMA." I pleaded with him. "I agree with Vakos. If Krases is going to start a war we need every soldier we can get. And I think Carmen would have a lot to say on the matter."

"We lost all communication with Carmen's team about three hours ago." Sparda took a seat next to me. "I agree that we should head back to STIGMA. However there is a danger that we would be walking into a trap."

"Then we don't walk." Dante changed into his devil form. "We fly!"

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"TRISH, SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!" I heard Lawrence yelling in the passenger seat of her yellow Lamborghini through my headset. "Jesus, why the fuck do you get to fly and I get stuck with the crazy bitch?"

Dante and I exchanged glances and smirked.

"Poor Larry." I muttered.

"Meh…she's only messing with him."

I glanced over at Vergil who was carrying Sparda and not looking too pleased about it. His spiky hair barely moving in the gale force winds.

_Don't look at him like you're planning to drop him, Vergil._

_I won't drop him. But I would rather be carrying you._

A blush crept up my face that was almost impossible to hide.

"Hey if you two are going to be sharing dirty thoughts then I think I'll be switching passengers."

"Dante, why didn't you tell me you could hear that?" I demanded.

"I couldn't. I was just guessing. But thanks for sharing."

"Tell me why I agreed to this again?"

"Because my father and I are not on speaking terms right now."

"You mean you're the one not talking to him. You'll have to talk to him eventually."

"Yeah yeah. I'll figure out the details later."

We descended below the clouds. We were now probably only a mile from STIGMA. But as we started approaching a tower of grey smoke appeared on the horizon.

"What the hell?" I muttered. "Dante, fly faster. Something's wrong."

"As my lady commands, I obey." And then as if he had turbo powered engines strapped to his boots we suddenly sped up. The horizon came at us much faster. I closed my eyes and buried my head in his shoulder to stop the wind from whipping my face.

"Lariska, you have to see this." I opened my eyes and gasped. STIGMA was on fire and thick smoke was arising from the forest.

"My god. Who could have done this?"

"Krases!" Sparda growled, Vergil now flying right next to us. "Rest assured little one. That bastard will pay for his crimes!"

**Author's Note: Thanks again guys for reviewing and reading the story. I don't know if anyone noticed but I removed the prologue. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to but I may add a new prologue in the future.**

**Next chapter: What Once Was Lost.**


	13. What Once Was Lost

**STIGMA 2: Memory**

**Chapter 13: What Once Was Lost.**

"My god." I found myself saying over and over again. As we flew over the gardens my heart almost stoped. STIGMA's once beautiful lush gardens had been turned into a battlefield. Agents and cleaners alike fought side by side against a myriad of hellspawn and vampires on the East side.

I looked to Vergil. _Give it to me again. Give me the devil inside._

_It's only a small part of me that you'll take. You won't have all my powers._

_It will do. Can you get Sparda to safety?"_

_Yes._ His voice echoing inside my head. "Dante, you and Lariska are to fight. I will take Sparda inside headquarters." He touched my hand and it became blue once more.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Dante asked.

"It's time to find out." I gazed at Vergil and saw my reflection in his eyes. Sapphire scales protruded from under my eyes and extended to the edges of my face. Three strips of scales decorated my forehead. My eyes once green burned with electric coloured flames. This was what I had become; the dragon.

"Be careful." Then I jumped.

I had never liked freefalling before but this time was different. Gravity was no longer an element that seemed to trap me but instead seemed to guide me safely to the ground.

As I landed in a crouched position I completed it by slamming my hands to the ground and looked up. My people were fighting and almost overwhelmed by the violence around them.

"You still with us Lariska?" I looked at Dante who was carelessly floating to the ground. His devil side disappeared and he withdrew his sword.

"You won't use your trigger?"

He shrugged. "Don't need it."

The claws on my hands extended. "Let's go."

And into battle we went. My feet seemed to carry me all by themselves and suddenly I was flying. My claws slashed into demon and vampire alike. I felt alive like never before and they all fell before me.

"Alex?" A familiar voice amongst the carnage called to me. A triple spin kick was used to bring down a lust demon and I turned my head.

"Logan? What the hell happened here?"

Logan expertly wielded a sword as he decapitated two vampires. "Do you really think this is the time for explanations?"

Dante had skewered three demons on his sword. "The man's got a good point."

I looked around. I could see Arkan mowing down targets with an M16. Melissa was by his side. Many of my fellow agents were fighting in a battle beyond anything they had ever faced and yet somehow they were holding their own.

My headset suddenly came to life with a static filled transmission.

"Head quarters this is Agent Detrius. I am inbound with the survivors of the Alberta clean up op. I need a sit-rep over?"

"Carmen." I shouted. "What the hell's going on?"

"I'm not sure about here but my crew and I were ambushed. About five of us made it out of there. Hang on down there. I'll be able to provide air support. ETA is three minutes."

"Shit." I muttered. "Arkan, Melissa! Get everyone that's human out here. Carmen's bringing the Calvary."

"You got it." Arkan copied. "Agents, cleaners you are to retreat to West Gardens. The witches will be waiting to cast a temporary barrier. Air support's gonna tear this bitch up!"

"Lariska, get out of here." I watched as Dante used his sword to vault himself off the ground and into a crowd of marionettes. "I'll use my powers to keep them off the humans until Carmen gets here.

I slowly removed my katana from my belt. "I don't think so Dante. As long as you can be here then so am I."

"Verge is gonna kick my ass if anything happens to you."

"Well I guess nothing had better happen to me." As I spoke a female vampire landed on me. Her fangs dangerously close to my neck.

"Krases will reward me for bringing him your head, dragon woman."

"Really?" I pulled her by the head over my shoulder and slammed her body to the ground. "Kinda hard to collect a reward when you're dead." I tore her throat out and dug into her chest to extract her heart.

An bolt landed in her heart. I turned around. Logan once more had stole the show with his crossbow. His face was slightly green.

"What happened to you Alex?"

"Time's up people!" Dante yelled as sounds of a helicopter approached us. I grabbed Logan's hand and we ran just in time to avoid being filled with holes by the 50 cal gun from Carmen's chopper. The screams of hell spawn being torn to pieces filled my ears but I kept running and didn't look back.

"Alex, you're cutting up my hand."

I dropped his hand quickly when I saw blood flowing from a cut on his palm. Now he'd have a scar to match mine.

"Sorry. We need to keep moving."

Once we reached the vicinity of the West Gardens I left the devil leave me. Other agents stared at me as I became human again.

"Did Vergil do something to you?" Logan demanded.

"Nothing that hasn't been highly beneficial to me."

"You're a devil now?"

I laughed quietly. "Not quite. I'm still human."

"Not as much as you used to be."

"Alex," Carmen's steady voice interrupted our conversation. "I'm bringing her in for a landing."

"Roger that Carmen." I glared at Logan. "We'll discuss this later. I need to find Vergil and Sp-Mr Giovanni."

As the chopper landed I ran to greet Carmen. I hugged her. "Jesus I thought you might be dead. Mr Giovanni said he had lost contact."

"All our radios were destroyed. The vamps used some sort of sonic pulse to destroy them. I was able to get a few guys onto the chopper but the rest of my team…." She was unable to continue. A single tear fell down her right cheek. I took her arm.

"No I can't leave like this. Let me take my guys in. You go to Mr Giovanni and give a situation report."

I nodded. Carmen had never suffered a loss in battle like this before. But she would rather die than lose face in front of her troops.

"Yes Ma'm." I looked around. "Arkan, Mel get everyone inside now. Logan, coordinate your guys. Dante, come with me."

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We marched down the halls of STIGMA as everyone piled inside. The seriously wounded were being sent to the medical wing to be placed under the care of the doctors. Any mild wounds would be treated by magic by the witches.

I looked at my colleagues. I had never seen us so dirty, exhausted and scared. We had never faced a battle like this before. We had always been standing in the shadows watching as others fought the battles but this was different. All our training and combat skills were finally being put to the test.

"I think this might be it, Dante."

"What's it babe?"

"The end; the final battle. And I wonder if we're ready for it."

As we reached Sparda's office I caught sight of myself in a pool of water on the balcony and gasped. I was covered in both vampire and demon blood. My hands, my nails, my hair and my clothes were covered in gore.

"Jesus Christ, Logan was right. What am I becoming?"

Dante stopped. "You really going to ask that now after everything you've been through?"

"Look at me Dante. I've been marked by death."

"That's why I use a sword and not my hands."

I smiled weakly. "I'm not sure if I feel better now. But thanks."

I pushed the doors to the office open. Vergil was waiting in there next to Sparda. But so was someone else I hadn't expected.

"Agent Clarke, good to see you again."

"And yourself Alex. You look as if you've had a rough day."

"We can discuss that later." Sparda interrupted. "Report?'

"All demons in the East Gardens have been destroyed. I don't have a list of casualties yet if any and Agent Detrius has returned with four survivors from Alberta."

"I'll have her come up for a debrief. This is only the first battle. Vakos was right. Krases has silently declared all out war." He sighed. "Are you alright Alex?"

I nodded. "If not in need of a hot shower. If you'll excuse me I'll be headed downstairs to do exactly that." I turned to leave.

"Lariska, please wait. I would like to speak with you in private." Agent Clarke's voice rang. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"How do you know that name?"

He went silent. I looked into his green eyes and looked at the curve of his face.

'_We don't fear for our lives, Sparda. Only for the lives of our twins'_

I started to shake. I was fast losing the ability to stand. I would have hit the floor if Vergil hadn't caught me.

'_Sparda, what nonsense are you talking now'_

Memories flashed before my eyes. Danny holding his little girl, Danny bandaging the scraped knee of his son, Danny begging his wife to leave with their two children before Yvanna came to murder them.

'_Helena, take the kids and run'_

A single word escaped my mouth before I could stop it:

"Daddy?"

**Author's note: Well this is the end of Memory. Part three will hopefully be up within the next month or so. I haven't decided on the exact title yet so stay tuned.**

**Thanks for everyone's comments and reviews. I look forward to finishing part three for you to enjoy.**


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